Working Like Nature: Transform Your Work with Sustainable and Regenerative Practices
What would it look like if our workdays mirrored the rhythms of nature—its balance, flow, and deep interconnectedness? It’s a question that lingers in my mind daily. I’ve been making it a habit to hit the trails at least once a week here in the Pacific Northwest. Each time I enter the forest, something in me transforms. Recently, I’ve begun to realize that this transformation I experience is more of a remembering, a reconnection to who I am and the larger web of life that I am connected to. The more immeshed I get with observing and studying Moss and Lichens, the more I realize that there are countless networks of living, breathing beings that have collaborated for centuries for me to exist today.
“I cannot experience a moment with nature without experiencing myself. I cannot learn about the earth and all the flora and fauna that exist on this planet without simultaneously learning about myself. When I leave a hike and enter back into the human-made world, it takes me longer and longer to be able to get back into the headspace that capitalism expects me to be in. What I’ve come to realize is that this is because the human-made world is not designed for, or with nature in mind. And therefore, it was not designed for, or with us in mind.”
Nature offers profound lessons in purposeful living, collaboration, and mutual flourishing—qualities that seem to echo what many of us long for in our work and personal lives. Yet, the way we are taught to approach work often feels disconnected from these natural rhythms. Instead of presence, appreciation, and regeneration, our systems of work frequently lean toward exhaustion, extraction, exploitation, and disconnection.
This realization has inspired me to explore a radical yet timeless idea:
What if we worked like—and for—nature?
This requires reimagining the structures of work, creativity, and productivity to align with the fundamentals that make ecosystems thrive. When we learn about what allows nature to sustain itself, we receive lessons on what we need to thrive, too. Instead of pushing for relentless growth, we’d embrace cycles of activity and rest. Instead of individualism and scarcity, we’d cultivate collaboration and shared responsibility. This isn’t a lofty fantasy; it’s a deeply practical and increasingly urgent possibility. By aligning the way we work with nature’s wisdom, we can create systems that nurture human and more-than-human life, encourage inclusive innovation, and contribute to a healthy planet.
In this first article of my series, we’ll be exploring why it’s time to rethink how we work and explore the foundational principles of working like—and for—nature. Let’s begin by understanding the powerful lessons nature has to offer.
The Disconnect Between Human Work and Natural Rhythms
Believe it or not, there was a time when human work was seamlessly woven into the rhythms of the natural world. For Indigenous communities across the United States and those who continue to honor this ancestral wisdom, this connection is not just a thing of the past but a knowing that we all can tap into. Many Indigenous cultures have long understood that humanity is not separate from nature but an integral part of its intricate fabric.
For example, many indigenous cultures of the United States practiced the "Three Sisters" agricultural method, where corn, beans, and squash were planted together harmoniously. Corn provided a natural pole for beans to climb, beans enriched the soil with nitrogen, and squash spread across the ground, protecting the soil and reducing weeds. This system not only ensured sustainable food production but also reflected an ethos of balance and interdependence.
The Zuni people in the Southwest have long used waffle gardens, small, sunken plots of soil surrounded by raised edges, to conserve water in arid environments. These gardens reflect a deep understanding of the land's natural rhythms, allowing communities to grow crops even in challenging conditions.
Similarly, the Lakota and other Plains tribes relied on the buffalo for food, tools, and shelter, taking only what was needed and using every part of the animal. This practice was embedded in ceremonies and prayers that expressed gratitude and respect for the buffalo's role in their survival, emphasizing reciprocity rather than exploitation.
These Indigenous practices illustrate how work and life can align with the natural world in ways that sustain both human communities and the ecosystems they depend on. They stand in stark contrast to the extractive, linear systems of modern industry and offer valuable lessons for reimagining how we approach work today.
Many Indigenous agricultural systems are guided by natural markers—the phases of the moon, the migration of animals, or the blooming of certain plants—ensuring that planting, harvesting, and resting align with the Earth’s rhythms. These systems sustain not only the land but also the communities that tend to it, encouraging a relationship of care and renewal.
Nature-Based Ways of Being VS Artificial Constructs
We’re conditioned to ignore the cues of the natural world—winter’s invitation to slow down, the body’s need for rest after exertion—and instead prioritize constant productivity. Our days are dictated by artificial constructs: the clock, the quarterly report, and the relentless demand to produce more in less time. This shift from cyclical harmony to linear extraction has left us disconnected, exhausted, and yearning for something deeper.
The disconnect is palpable in our personal lives. Think of the burnout that comes from pushing through fatigue because deadlines demand it or the frustration of trying to force creativity in a moment when your mind and spirit need stillness. These are not isolated experiences; they are symptoms of a system that prioritizes output over well-being. In many ways, our modern work culture mirrors industrial agriculture—extractive, short-sighted, and ultimately unsustainable.
And just as these systems harm us, they harm the planet. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion are the inevitable consequences of working against nature’s rhythms. Consider the overexploitation of forests, which once thrived as interconnected ecosystems, providing oxygen, habitat, and nourishment. When we treat them as endless resources to be extracted, we not only harm the Earth but also disrupt the delicate cycles that sustain life—including our own.
Reconnecting with nature’s wisdom offers a way forward. Imagine how different the world would be if businesses planned their workflows around natural cycles, slowing down in winter to reflect and innovate or scaling back during seasons of renewal to recharge their teams. Picture creative projects inspired by the Indigenous concept of reciprocity, where resources taken are given back in ways that ensure the whole system thrives.
Working for - and with - nature is how we return to practices that have sustained our planet for millennia. By realigning our work with nature, we honor the truth that we are not separate from the Earth but a part of its intricate, interconnected web. In doing so, we create systems that support mutual flourishing—where both humans and the planet thrive together.
Learning from Nature’s Blueprint
Nature operates on balance, interconnection, and regeneration. Nothing in nature is wasted, and every being plays a role in sustaining the whole. For example:
Forests thrive through collaboration. Trees share nutrients through underground fungal networks, supporting one another in times of stress.
Oceans cycle nutrients, ensuring that ecosystems from coral reefs to open waters remain productive and vibrant.
Pollinators and plants engage in mutual exchanges that sustain entire food webs.
These systems are resilient, adaptive, and endlessly creative—qualities we desperately need in our own systems of work. Nature teaches us that sustainability isn’t about maintaining the status quo; it’s about creating systems that regenerate and evolve.
What Does It Mean to Work Like—and For—Nature?
To work like nature means adopting its principles in our approach to productivity, collaboration, and innovation. It’s about embracing cycles of growth and rest, valuing diversity, and prioritizing systems that are regenerative rather than extractive.
But it’s not enough to work like nature—we also need to work for nature. This means designing systems that contribute to ecological and human well-being, ensuring that our actions support the planet rather than harm it. Whether it’s adopting sustainable practices, rethinking waste, or building relationships rooted in reciprocity, working for nature means recognizing that our success is deeply intertwined with the health of the earth.
Why Now? The Urgent Call to Reclaim Our Nature
The consequences of working against nature are evident all around us—individually, collectively, and environmentally. The climate crisis continues to escalate, fueled by systems designed for extraction and short-term gain. Rising temperatures, more frequent natural disasters, deforestation, and water scarcity aren’t distant threats; they’re realities disrupting communities and ecosystems today. These are the costs of ignoring nature’s wisdom and failing to honor its regenerative cycles.
But the harm isn’t just environmental—it’s deeply personal. Burnout has become a pervasive issue, with many of us feeling trapped in work systems that prioritize constant productivity over well-being. The relentless pace of our modern lives disconnects us from our instincts, creativity, and sense of purpose. Stress-related illnesses are on the rise, and many of us feel isolated and unfulfilled despite our achievements. When we push ourselves beyond our natural limits, we mirror the exploitation of the Earth, creating cycles of harm that reverberate through our bodies, communities, and the planet.
Collectively, this disconnection has eroded our sense of shared responsibility. Individualism and the myth of scarcity have driven us into silos, fostering competition instead of collaboration. In the workplace, this looks like prioritizing profit at the expense of employee well-being or community impact. In broader society, it’s evident in the widening gaps of inequality and the loss of community-focused solutions.
We can see examples of the negative consequences of working against nature all around us. Consider the agricultural practices that have depleted soils through mono-cropping and chemical use, rendering once-fertile lands barren. Industrial systems dump waste into waterways, polluting the lifelines of countless species, including humans. Urban sprawl and deforestation continue to destroy habitats, driving species to extinction and destabilizing ecosystems. These systems don’t just harm nature—they harm us, perpetuating food insecurity, economic inequality, and climate-induced displacement.
Now more than ever, it’s clear that this way of working and living is unsustainable. The costs of ignoring nature’s principles are far too great—for ourselves, our communities, and future generations. But within this crisis lies an opportunity: a chance to reclaim our relationship with nature and, in doing so, with ourselves.
By aligning our work and systems with nature’s principles, we can:
Encourage restoring balance: Prioritize rest and regeneration for people and ecosystems.
Rebuild threads of connection: Encourage collaboration and interdependence over competition.
Regenerate resources: Embrace circular economies that turn waste into opportunity.
Rekindle creativity: Draw sustainable inspiration from the adaptive, resilient systems of nature.
This isn’t just a call to change how we work; it’s a call to remember who we are.
We are nature.
The same principles that sustain forests, oceans, and pollinators can sustain us, too. Now is the time to embrace those lessons and design systems that allow all life—human and more-than-human—to thrive. It’s no longer a matter of choice; it’s a matter of survival, and the path forward is rooted in remembering and reclaiming our place within the larger web of life.
As we move forward in this series, we’ll dive deeper into the principles of working like nature, exploring practical ways to align our work with the rhythms of the natural world. Each post will offer insights and actionable steps to help you integrate these ideas into your personal and professional life.
For now, I invite you to reflect: How does your current approach to work align—or conflict—with the principles of nature? What small changes could you make today to bring more balance, connection, and regeneration into your daily routine?
The answers to these questions could be the first steps toward a new way of working—one that honors the wisdom of nature and supports a thriving future for all.
Until next time…
Natalie Brite
DoGoodBiz Studio
