WFH versus office life. Where ACT Minister Tara Cheyne gets her job done.
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It was the great disruption to the daily commute, office life and water-cooler debates.
The pandemic forced us all to adapt to working from home and, for many of us, that meant carving out a dedicated workspace where a dining table or linen cupboard once resided. Now we are theoretically back in the office, but that doesn’t mean our 9-5 work-day routine hasn’t blurred around the edges. Many of us are choosing to work at least part of the time from home for a variety of reasons.
We ask some busy Canberra professionals to share their WFH experience with us including ACT Minister for the Arts, Business, Human Rights, Multicultural Affairs, and Economic Development, Tara Cheyne.
What’s your WFH set-up?
My WFH set-up is the dining table in the back corner of the lounge room. My apartment faces north-west and is open plan, so sitting in the corner gives me the most expansive views inside and out, and sunshine. It was a deliberate decision in March 2020. At the time I thought it was guided by wanting good Vitamin D exposure, but was probably more about not wanting to feel too boxed in! I’ve got a lamp, a laptop, a laptop stand, an orchid, a photo of the Teton mountain range, usually a vase of flowers, and what feels like a billion pieces of paper, notepads and books which are sometimes in a pile but mostly not. I sit on an incredibly, and increasingly, worn desk chair.
Has it changed much over three years?
Not really! I didn’t have a dining table in March 2020 so dragged an old side table to the lounge and sat there and have never really left. It was very small so kept me neat! The dining table came in mid-2021 and my ‘stuff’ has expanded to take it all up. Before the laptop stand, I used the complete edition of Calvin and Hobbes! The plants around me have rotated. And I now have a novelty sized car number plate which reads ❤ Belco which I was given after opening the new Access Canberra Belconnen Service Centre—I stuck it to the wall behind me and it features in all my online meetings!
What split of time do you make between WFH and office life now we are free to choose?
It’s probably about 60:40.
What’s the best bit about WFH? And the worst?
I love being in Belconnen and I like the flexibility that WFH brings. My meetings stick to time better than they do when I have meetings in person: there’s an efficiency in being able to click a button to a meeting and begin it that I think is underrated! The worst is the lack of incidental exercise and—I’m sure there’s a term for it—not having the same feeling of drawing a line under the day as you do when you’re on your way home from work.
What do you love about the office? And hate?
I love working in a parliament and the energy that’s brought by everyone every day: sharing in personal and professional wins, and working through issues together. There’s also always something going on so it can be harder to carve out time to do big chunks of reading or writing.
Where do you get more work done and why?
It really depends on the type of work! If I’m reading, writing, clearing briefs, it’s WFH for sure. If it’s preparing, conceptualising, or working through an issue that’s complex, it’s in the office.
What’s on your desk at home and how is it different to your desk at work?
You’ve heard about my desk at home—everything is on it. And, as the day goes on, there’s an accumulation of Pepsi Max cans. At work I rarely sit at my work desk, preferring to sit at my meeting table. When I’m in the office, I’m either having a conversation or about to have one, so it seems to make more sense to be working at the spot that those are happening.
Most essential work items no matter where you are?
A laptop and a stylus so I can sign documents, a power cable if it’s more than two hours, and my phone.
Can you make your own coffee as well as your barista?
No!
What helps you become more productive at home?
Good light and getting up early.
What are the worst distractions?
My dog Bailey is usually pretty good, but she has had her moments…
