Escape the Boardroom: How Hiking with USOS Can Help Combat Burnout

"Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long." – Michael Gungor, lead singer of ‘Gungor’.

As a father of a teen in a rock band, I frequently get to listen to anti-establishment and anti-corporate punk rock, punched out of the garage. The words in the songs are often at odds with the corporate path I’ve trodden for the last three decades. But these challenging songs, sung by someone with a raw view of the world, often reflect themes of personal growth and a desire to connect more with those around us, rather than less. And ironically this has become something of an inspiration to me, and something I’ve tried to bring into my work on a daily basis – to connect more with my colleagues as we work together to craft the perfect performance. Corporate rock contradiction? Sheesh. My son would scoff…

I believe that connection is critical right now. And this is because we’re experiencing circumstances that have not been seen before during my lifetime. The pandemic led to a massive shift towards remote work, blurring the boundaries between professional and personal life. The resulting lifestyle shift has led to increased stress, longer working hours, and high expectations and workload. I’ve seen the constant pressure break individuals, leading to symptoms of chronic stress and exhaustion. And adequate rest or recovery has often been difficult to find, and often doesn’t resolve the feelings of fatigue.

The resulting wave of burned-out WFH workers is a trend that seems to be on the rise. For business, this has led to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism and ultimately high staff turnover rates. All of the above has been written about many, many times over since the end of the pandemic. As a result, you would think or hope that we’ve worked out how best to address the issues at hand, but in conversations with peers, I often find there is a focus on quick fix solutions, rather than a slow burn re-balancing of work/life. It’s this approach that Under Sea Over Stone (USOS) focuses on, helping the work weary ‘refill their cup’.  

Under Sea, Over Stone’s mission is to reconnect individuals with nature to combat burnout. As a passionate advocate for the great outdoors, I'm eager to share my favourite well-trodden paths and hidden gems, exploring curated trails in the Greater Sydney area that reveal a side of Sydney you might never have encountered. These experiences are designed to foster a reconnection with nature, promote mental and physical well-being, and offer an opportunity for 'rewilding' the spirit. If you're interested, you can book a hike here, of if you have questions, then feel free to complete the contact form at the bottom of the homepage here - we'll try to answer any questions you may have. Right now USOS hikes are free, so there's no time like the present to get outside!

This will be the first in a series of articles that will discuss the benefits of going bush. We’ll cover off my favourite trails around Sydney, the mental health benefits of hiking, getting fit and staying healthy, tips and tricks for beginners in the bush, and how to build a long term connection with nature. If there's anything in particular that you would like us to cover off, please feel free to comment and let me know.

Refresh, reconnect, rewild.