10 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2025 LAURA FIELD | NC EVP RUMINATIONS 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 Phone (402) 475-2333 | Fax (402) 475-0822 nc@necattlemen.org | www.nebraskacattlemen.org NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN STAFF EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Laura Field lfield@necattlemen.org VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING | Jeff Stolle DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | John Roberts DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Libby Schaneman DIRECTOR OF PRODUCER EDUCATION | Bonita Lederer DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Matthew Melchor ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER | Kathy Abel OFFICE MANAGER | Ashley McClinton MEMBERSHIP FIELD STAFF | Hannah Pearson Nebraska Cattleman is published monthly, except for May and July, by the Nebraska Cattlemen, 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 475-2333. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MAGAZINE PRODUCTION: CINCHED UP LLC ncmag@necattlemen.org EDITOR | Lisa Bard MANAGING EDITOR | Jessie Topp-Becker COPY EDITOR | Larisa Willrett DESIGNER & MATERIALS COORDINATOR | Megan Field ADMINISTRATION | Leslie McKibben CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Bill Coe | Natalie Jones STATE & REGIONAL ADVERTISING Amber Coleman | (402) 340-1588 acoleman@necattlemen.org NATIONAL ADVERTISING Wendy McFarland | (334) 271-6100 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Working for Nebraska Beef Producers PASTURE TO PLATE TO PLATE NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN VIEW NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN DIGITAL VERSION BY SCANNING THE QR CODE. A BALANCING ACT LAURA FIELD | NC EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Balance is a tricky word. As a terribly clumsy person, I’ve often struggled with balance while walking, running and sometimes dancing. I never attempted any such thing as walking on a balance beam for fear of a disaster, and standing on one foot or the other is not an easy feat for me to keep my balance. We often hear about a “work-life balance,” and I often wonder what that might be since I just admitted that balance isn’t my strong suit. Many years ago, I had a conversation with one of my dearest and best friends, and she and I pondered whether a work-life balance could exist. Maybe there wasn’t such a thing. My husband and I live by the brightly colored calendar on our refrigerator that is full of the activities of our youngest children, busy 12-year-old twins being raised by busy parents. “I’m terribly busy that day!” is a common phrase at our house. While it may be true, I know that busy isn’t an excuse for inaction, for being late or for dropping the ball on tasks that need to be completed. After a very busy end to 2024, I took a few extra days off, and as I shared in a previous column, the time was very much one to rest and reset. While away from work spending time with family, I thought more about the work-life balance. I made the decision that, for 2025, I would take one afternoon each week to leave work early and meet the kids when the bus drops them off at our house after school. When I told the kids about it, they were apprehensively excited as we are notorious for making plans and having to pivot, but I gave them my commitment. We looked at the calendar, talked about our schedules and decided Thursday was our day of the week. We agreed that there might be weeks it wouldn’t work, and we set the ground rules that it would just be family time – no screens, focused time, our time. So far, we have made it work most weeks. We go swimming, play basketball or go bowling, and we always make a point to grab food on our way home when we are done. Somedays when I arrive to pick up the kids, I’m on the phone or wrapping up something for work, and they patiently wait and then remind me of our “rules.” I knew this time would be meaningful, and at the same time, I did not think it would mean as much to us as a family. The kids laugh, smile and chatter endlessly, and they go to bed telling me how much they enjoyed the day. Even though we have not and will not ever perfect the balance, we are a work in progress. One week at a time, we steady ourselves and keep moving forward. ~NC~ Even though we have not and will not ever perfect the balance, we are a work in progress.
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