Former Charity Director Says Oak Trees Helped Her Beat Burnout

A woman who ran a charity for ten years says that spending time meditating under an oak tree helped her recover from burnout. Natalie Fee led City to Sea, an environmental charity based in Bristol, England. She says the stress of her job — combined with tough events at home — left her completely drained over many years.

Natalie first noticed signs of burnout after about two or three years of running the charity. She described her life at the time as 'all go go go,' with very little time to rest or recharge. Things came to a head in 2017, when she felt absolute exhaustion and found it hard even to get out of bed. She also felt very sad and said she was 'feeling very blue' much of the time.

She continued to push through her symptoms for a few more years. Then, during the first COVID-19 lockdown, something changed. She started meditating outdoors in Greenbank Cemetery, sitting beneath a large oak tree. She noticed right away that meditating outside felt different — there were fewer distractions, and she felt a deeper connection to the tree and the nature around her.

Natalie believes she had been running on stress hormones for a long time before things got really bad. She explained that stress causes the body to release a hormone called cortisol. When a person relies on cortisol for too long, it can wear the body down. Some people call this 'adrenal fatigue,' because the glands that make stress hormones become overtaxed.

Simon Gunning, the head of a mental health group called CALM, explained what burnout really means. He said it is not simply having one hard week at work. Instead, it is a deep state of exhaustion — physical, mental, and emotional — that builds up over a long time under constant pressure. He added that the best approach is to try to prevent burnout before it starts.

Gunning offered some practical tips for avoiding burnout. He said people should make real time for themselves, take regular breaks, and set clear limits on how much they take on. Focusing on things you can actually control, he said, can help keep everyday stress at a manageable level.

Natalie's charity tried to protect its workers from burnout by switching to a four-day working week. The organization was very supportive of staff members who were struggling with stress. Even so, Natalie said it was meditation that helped her the most in the end.

She said that meditating involves trying to quiet the mind and focus on breathing. Every now and then, a person can reach a deep state of calm and peace that feels quite extraordinary. Meditation also helped ease her long-lasting backache and reduced her health anxiety. Natalie said some people might think it sounds strange, but she happily embraces it.