• Question: how much of a work life balance do you get being in the geography industry

    Asked by nebs536carr94 on 2 Dec 2025.
    • Photo: Alexander Treliving

      Alexander Treliving answered on 2 Dec 2025:

      Great question! Work-life balance in the geography industry varies depending on your specific job and employer. However, I think it’s very important to get a job with a good work-life balance.

      In my job, I’m able to work from home which means I have no commute and can dedicate more time to leisure/life, which is great. Having the extra time to focus on other things means I’m actually more productive when I am at work.

    • Photo: Milly Bell

      Milly Bell answered on 3 Dec 2025:

      There are definitely busier and quieter times, as with any role. But I personally think I have a good work life balance in my role. As others have mentioned, I also work predominantly from home meaning I get more time to myself since I don’t have to commute to work. However I do also enjoy going into the office and site visits every so often as it’s nice to catch up with colleagues in person.

      My role in comms is mostly desk-based, but during busier periods, e.g. when we have a big event coming up, or we are running a campaign, I often will work later into the evening to ensure all of my work is completed effectively and on time. However my organisation, along with many others, have a scheme called ‘Flexi Time’ which basically means that if I work an extra couple of hours one evening, or over a few days, I can take this time off when things are a bit quieter- this might mean finishing early on a Friday for example. I really value this scheme as it means that I can put in extra time and effort and know that I can also use the time I have banked to finish early if I have personal plans!

    • Photo: George Foden

      George Foden answered on 3 Dec 2025:

      It depends on your role, but as I work with the humanitarian sector, I am often working with people from all around the world, sometimes in very different time zones to my own. This means I sometimes have to have work calls very late at night or early in the morning, but it also means that my working times can be very flexible because I don’t always need to be in the office 9-5 like a regular job.

      If you’re on fieldwork you may be working long hours every day of the week to make sure you collect the data you need and achieve your project goals, but when you are back home and writing reports or planning for your next trip, the hours are a lot more up to you to decide. I like how much it can vary!

    • Photo: Alan Jones

      Alan Jones answered on 3 Dec 2025:

      I work a 7.4 hour day, with 30 days annual leave. I also do an incident duty week once a month which a 24/7 duty to respond to environmental incidents that need attending

    • Photo: Vanessa Pilley

      Vanessa Pilley answered on 4 Dec 2025:

      A lot – but I suspect that varies across the industry by the employer! I work for Government and have a good work/life balance 🙂

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