• Question: Being a geographer.. how hard do you have to work in order to finish your job? how much are you willing to put to the risk to do this job?

    Asked by Ned on 25 Jan 2026.
    • Photo: Alex Cartwright

      Alex Cartwright answered on 25 Jan 2026:

      Being a geographer doesn’t mean you have to work harder than everyone else – that’s true for any job. What matters more is how you work. I’ve learned that working smarter is better than just working longer hours. For example, I know I’m not very focused in the middle of the afternoon, so instead of sitting at my desk getting frustrated, I might go for a bike ride or walk the dog. Then I’ll do some work later in the evening when I can concentrate better and get more done.

      The “risk” part of the question is a bit tricky to answer, as I’m not totally sure what you are meaning – i’ll give it a go though. I don’t usually put myself in danger, but during floods or emergencies I might work longer hours or be on call to help decision-makers. I’m willing to do that because the work helps protect people and communities, which makes it feel worthwhile.

    • Photo: James Ward

      James Ward answered on 26 Jan 2026:

      There are deadlines to meet but with support from people leaders and good preparation and time management this can be controlled. I try and prepare well which will help with managing work through the week.

    • Photo: Alan Jones

      Alan Jones answered on 26 Jan 2026:

      I work until the job required is finished. I attended pollution incidents and you cannot walk away from solving the problem

Comments

  • Photo: Connor W

    Connor W commented on :

    Anyone in any job works hard to meet deadlines or the needs of the job. Some tasks require a lot more mental real estate to get ideas moving, or conceptualized, and some just require a bit of teeth-gritting to get done.

    I often find at the start of the day tackling the smaller tasks helps you build the momentum to make a start on your bigger projects. Small wins in life help with achieving anything in the long-run. I’d say I work hard each day to ensure that when I close my laptop for the day I can completely relax and not focus on work into my free-time!