AdNews launched the WFH Diaries, in the depths of the pandemic lockdowns, to chronicle the move to working from home. Now, with agencies returning to the office, we focus on the people who found new ways of working. Meet those who've switched their general physical work place, including the tree-changers and sea-changers.
Renee Stekel, Senior account director at branding agency Principals
Where have you moved from/to?
I moved from the gloriously busy bustle of Bondi in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs to the sublime near-empty beaches of the South Coast, in Gerringong.
Your employer?
It all unfolded during the pandemic so what started as working from my partner's parents' cottage in Berry to escape Sydney in lockdown, later turned into a stint renting in Berry for a year before moving permanently to Gerringong. My employer was supportive from the start and when the city/state wasn’t locked down I worked both in the office and at home.
What challenges have you faced in working remotely from your new location?
Nothing really that anyone working remotely in Sydney hasn’t also faced.
When the team has been back in the office the commute can get quite long especially after a long day at work, so the balance of hybrid working is a must.
What are the rewards you're experiencing for making the move?
The slower pace of living outside of a major city, the excitement of a new adventure and exploring new places, creating a home with my partner and British Blue kitten, the beautiful scenic environment that surrounds me everywhere, the wide-open space of the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other and no traffic and queues for things.
What does a typical day look like for you now versus before you made the move?
I’ve always aimed to start my day with a swim at the beach and that hasn’t changed.
I guess the main difference now is I am either doing a big commute where I get lots of time to work, read or listen to a podcast on the train up to Sydney or I am working from home being forever pestered by my cat at the dining room table / my desk and enjoying a quieter environment.
When I WFH I get more time in the evening after work to make it to the beach too so I can easily start and end my day with the saltwater of the ocean.
What advice would you give to others considering a similar move?
Be prepared to be flexible, if you need to travel to the city for work or to meet up with friends and to get used to not having every possible resource available at your fingertips. There’s not a lot of options for shops to frequent and the plethora of choices Sydney has for exercise (yoga, pilates, gym etc), dining and café options so you need to explore further afield or improvise (we don’t get Uber Eats down here!)
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