I love working on the land and always have done – perhaps that comes from being a farmer's daughter and growing up in the countryside in the South West of Scotland. During the pandemic I have felt particularly grateful for my rural life. With endless miles of beautiful coastline, rolling hills and beautiful forests, there is no better place to escape to.

And up until a year ago that is exactly what I did: even before lockdown my professional role allowed me to work remotely, so I would spend my working week out and about all over central Scotland, but came home every night to a flat in Glasgow’s West End which I shared with other young professionals. I would return to the family farm at weekends for a much needed rural boost.

Lockdown has brought me back home to my roots and has improved my work-life balance immeasurably. It has allowed me to reconnect with the family businesses, both farming and construction, while keeping in touch with clients and colleagues remotely.

A recent study by Mind revealed that 51 per cent of adults reported a decline in their mental health as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. Further, while World Health Organization findings show a modern urban lifestyle to be associated with chronic stress, exposure to green spaces was found to promote mental and physical health. Women now account for 28 per cent of the British agricultural workforce and I feel very lucky indeed to be among the 25,000 of us who work in a wide spectrum of rural roles.

I studied Agricultural Business at university, and began working with Savills Strategic Projects team alongside my degree course. After graduating in 2017, I secured a full-time position and I have been here ever since.

My team acts on behalf of utilities clients such as Scottish Water, National Grid, SPEN and UK Power Networks in order to aid the delivery of electricity, water and broadband connections. A big part of my role is identifying potential sites across rural Scotland while negotiating agreements and keeping in touch with landowners and other stakeholders throughout the construction process. I spend my days in my wellies and hard hat out on the land, meeting a wide variety of people, from local farmers to engineers, and finding the best outcome for both.

I am an early riser, but these days before my Savills working day begins, rather than spending an hour in a crowded gym, I find myself outside in the fresh air on the farm – it’s much better for the soul, especially now that warmer, lighter mornings have made a welcome return. We run a beef unit here over a few farms, all located within a reasonably close proximity. That, along with our sheep and crops means there is always something happening here year round. 

I begin work at my laptop at 8am each morning and usually finish around 5pm, but it depends on how the day goes. Work can be intense, so I try to include a walk at midday with my two dogs to clear my head and boost my concentration, but I’m always contactable via my work mobile. Living on the farm means that I can help out at busy times, taking an extended lunch if need be, catching up on work in the evenings. 

While the pandemic has been an extremely tough time for everyone, for me it has truly highlighted the importance of a good work-life balance, something I didn’t have before. Savills work systems mean that I can easily be in regular contact with colleagues through team calls and we will continue doing so when Covid-19 has passed.

Further information

Contact Aileen McIntosh

Contact Savills Rural