During the winter of 2020, amid COVID-19 lockdowns in Canberra, a former HR professional found himself unexpectedly involved in a landscaping venture launched by his brother. Seeking a temporary job and motivated by his mother’s desire for him to move out, he joined a team tasked with mulching city parks. This team included an ex-sports physio, a former Canberra Raiders player, and a former plasterer, but his landscaping experience was limited to small tasks like mowing lawns.
Navigating a New Terrain: A Family Affair
Every morning at 5am, the team embarked on their day in a cluttered Toyota HiLux, heading to various parks across the city armed with a skid steer loader for their mulching duties. Despite their efforts to appear industrious, the job often involved long waits for additional mulch deliveries, leading passersby to question their seemingly relaxed posture.
Challenges and Lessons in Landscaping
The work, repetitive by nature, presented moments of difficulty and lessons in teamwork. Machinery glitches, such as a malfunctioning loader or a bent jockey wheel, required the crew’s collective effort to navigate. While the manual labour proved taxing, the physical strain and monotony of the task underscored personal limitations for the HR professional, who experienced frequent back spasms and shoulder discomfort.
A Brother’s Insight and a New Direction
As tensions grew between the two brothers due to the HR professional’s lack of focus, his brother candidly remarked on his unsuitability for the job. Before terminating his brief stint in landscaping, he was urged by his brother to pursue university education, affirming his potential for more intellectually demanding pursuits.
This advice resonated especially because it echoed similar encouragement from his parents, which he had previously disregarded. After leaving the landscaping business, which would cease operations a year later, the former HR worker pursued studies in journalism in Melbourne. This transition confirmed for him the value of engaging work that stimulates the mind and aligns with personal passions.
Despite the challenging nature of his short landscaping career, he acknowledged its role in highlighting the importance of job satisfaction beyond physical tasks. His journey serves as a testament to the rewards of following a career path that truly engages one’s intellect and interests.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.