How to Live in Nature, Without All of the Work

Living in nature without all of the requisite work is possible. All it takes is some thought, creativity, and rethinking the norms. In today’s world, you can and should ask for help when you need it. That sentiment applies to how you care for your home and property, as well. Continue reading to learn some unique ideas you can incorporate into your life to live a more nature-forward existence.

Hire a Paddock Management Company

If you have a love of all things equine, but do not have the time to manage the land around and underneath them, you have options available so you can still be with your horses and enjoy them without all of the extra work. Make no mistake, however, horses are a lot of work on their own. They require constant care and attention to ensure they remain healthy throughout their lives. That does not mean that you have to forgo bringing horses into your family. Instead, all you need is some professional help. Hire a company such as Hampshire Paddock Management to care for the land. They will take care of the maintenance and land needs so you can focus your attention on your beloved horses.

Hire a Landscaping Company

You work hard every day. Coming home to more work is expected, but when it consumes every weekend, things change. Yard work is necessary to keep your lawn and garden looking beautiful and to keep your grass and plants healthy, so they thrive. If yard maintenance does not provide you with a soothing zen experience, then perhaps it is time to consider hiring a landscaping company or a professional gardener to handle these tasks for you. They can do everything from mowing and trimming to weeding, seeding, and fertiliser applications as needed. All you have to do is enjoy the fruits and blossoms of their labours.

Adopt the 20-5-3 Rule

If your social media feeds leave you feeling like you are not touching grass as much as the world believes you should be, there might be something to that. And yet, you do not have to fall into the trap in which everyone else tells you how to live your life while you are left feeling guilty instead of fulfilled. Change the narrative and how you approach your time in nature by adopting the 20-50-3 Rule. Basically, you should spend 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week in a green space. This can be a public park, your backyard, or a pasture, and the list goes on. Put your phone away and focus on the nature around you. Next, spend five hours each month in a more immersive natural environment, such as an expansive state park or forest reserve. Finally, aim to spend three days each year in a more primitive setting, such as a backwoods camping trip.

Being intentional and shifting your focus toward nature does not have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. Make the changes you want to experience that will benefit your life and those around you.

Why Living More Connected to Nature Is Worth Making Time For

The case for spending more time in and around nature isn’t just aspirational; the evidence behind it is genuinely compelling. Research published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports found that people who spent two to three hours a week in nature were around 20% more likely to report high overall life satisfaction than those who spent no time outdoors at all. The Mental Health Foundation’s research is similarly clear: people with stronger connections to nature consistently report lower levels of depression and anxiety, higher levels of life satisfaction, and more positive emotions generally.

The benefits extend beyond mood. Spending time outdoors releases natural feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, which help improve mood and increase energy levels. Time in natural light during the day also helps regulate circadian rhythms, which supports better sleep at night. And the effect doesn’t require dramatic interventions: even 20 minutes in a local park is enough to produce measurable improvements in wellbeing, which makes the 20-5-3 rule feel very achievable once you understand why it works.

For people with gardens, paddocks, or land of their own, the additional dimension is that the space itself becomes something to enjoy rather than something to manage. Delegating the maintenance work is what makes that possible for most people with busy lives.

More Ways to Build Nature Into Your Life Without Overhauling Everything

Hiring professionals for paddock and garden management frees up time beautifully, and the 20-5-3 rule provides a useful framework, but there are plenty of other smaller ways to build more nature connection into an ordinary week without it feeling like another item on the to-do list.

• Bring nature indoors. Houseplants, a bowl of seasonal fruit, a small herb garden on the windowsill, fresh flowers, or even a bird feeder positioned to be visible from a window are all ways of staying connected to natural rhythms and living things without leaving the house. If going outside feels difficult on a particular day, these small indoor touches still provide some of the restorative quality that nature offers.
• Eat outside whenever the weather allows. Something as simple as having a cup of tea or a meal outside rather than in front of a screen changes the texture of a day meaningfully. You notice birdsong, the weather, seasonal changes in the garden, things that are easy to miss when life is happening indoors.
• Walk a different route. Choosing a route to work, school, or the shops that passes through a park, along a river, or through a tree-lined street rather than along a main road adds natural exposure to time you’d be spending anyway. Trying new routes that bring you closer to green spaces or water is one of the simplest ways to accumulate more nature time without it requiring extra hours in the day.
• Grow something, even if it’s small. A pot of herbs, a tomato plant in a sunny corner, a window box of seasonal flowers. Growing something connects you to seasonal rhythms, gives you a reason to be outside briefly every day, and produces something genuinely satisfying regardless of the scale.
• Watch wildlife actively rather than passively. A bird feeder outside a window, a small wildlife pond if you have outdoor space, or simply paying attention to what’s visiting your garden or local green space during different seasons builds a relationship with the natural world that feels genuinely nourishing over time.
• Plan your bigger nature experiences in advance. The three days a year of immersive natural environment in the 20-5-3 rule tends to happen most reliably when it’s booked ahead rather than aspirationally intended. A camping trip, a walking weekend, a forest cabin stay or similar works best when it’s in the diary rather than on the wish list.

Practical Tips for Getting Professional Help with Land and Garden Management

• Be clear about what you actually want to do yourself versus what you’d prefer to hand over. Some people love pottering in the garden but hate mowing. Others are happy with a lawn but find weeding and planting overwhelming. Being specific about which tasks you want help with means you don’t pay for things you’d rather do yourself, and the professional can focus where they add the most value.
• Think seasonally when briefing a landscaper or garden manager. A good brief covers not just the current state of the garden but what you’d like it to look like through the seasons: spring bulbs, summer colour, autumn interest. Professionals who understand the full-year picture can plan and plant accordingly rather than just maintaining what’s already there.
• Ask about sustainability practices. Landscaping and land management companies increasingly offer approaches that support biodiversity, including wildflower areas, native planting, reduced chemical use, and managed habitats for wildlife. If living more naturally and sustainably is the goal, it’s worth asking whether these approaches are part of what’s on offer.
• For paddock management specifically, communicate clearly about your horses’ routines. The land management needs to work around your horses rather than the other way around. Giving the management company a clear picture of your horses’ turnout schedules, any particular sensitivities or requirements, and your priorities helps them create a programme that complements the care you’re already providing.
• Review regularly rather than setting and forgetting. Gardens and paddocks change with the seasons and with use. A regular brief check-in with whoever is managing the space, whether that’s a seasonal review or a quick walk-around, keeps the space aligned with what you want from it rather than drifting toward whatever is easiest to maintain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 20-5-3 rule and where does it come from?

The 20-5-3 rule is a nature exposure framework developed by Dr Rachel Hopman, a neuroscientist at Northeastern University. It suggests spending 20 minutes in a local green space at least three times a week, five hours each month in a more immersive natural environment such as a woodland or large park, and three days each year in a more remote or primitive natural setting such as wild camping or a wilderness area. The framework is grounded in research showing that different levels of nature exposure produce different cognitive and emotional benefits, with longer, more immersive experiences providing the deepest restoration.

How much does professional garden or paddock management typically cost in the UK?

Costs vary considerably depending on the size of the property, the scope of work, and the region. A professional gardener for a standard domestic garden typically charges between £25 and £50 per hour, with regular visits working out cheaper per hour than one-off jobs. Paddock management costs depend on acreage, the condition of the land, and what services are included, from basic mowing and harrowing to full seasonal programmes including weed treatment, drainage, and reseeding. Getting two or three quotes from local providers with a clear brief of what you need is the most reliable way to understand realistic costs for your specific situation.

What are the mental health benefits of spending more time in nature?

The evidence is consistent and significant. Research shows that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile. Nature can generate positive emotions such as calmness, joy, and creativity, and can facilitate concentration. Nature connectedness is linked to better mental health, particularly lower depression and anxiety. Even brief exposures help: studies show that 20 minutes in a park produces measurable improvements in mood and stress levels. Longer and more immersive natural experiences provide deeper cognitive restoration, which is the basis of the three-day component of the 20-5-3 rule.

How do I make time for nature when I have a busy family life?

The most sustainable approach is to integrate nature into things you’re already doing rather than treating it as a separate activity that requires carving out time. Walking a nature-adjacent route to school or work, eating breakfast outside in summer, letting children play outdoors while you sit in the garden rather than inside, choosing a park for a weekend activity rather than an indoor one: these all accumulate meaningful nature time without requiring extra hours. The 20-5-3 rule is deliberately designed to be achievable within a normal busy life, with the 20-minute daily element being short enough to fit into most days without significant reorganisation.

Is it worth hiring a landscaper even if you have a small garden?

It depends entirely on whether the maintenance is something you enjoy or something you resent. A small garden that you love tending is already doing its job. A small garden that you feel guilty about not maintaining, or that occupies weekends you’d rather spend differently, is probably worth delegating. Many gardeners and landscapers are happy to take on smaller gardens and can often fit them into existing routes, which can keep costs reasonable. The more specific you can be about what you want, the more straightforward it is to find someone who can provide it efficiently.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.