Home Work: A day with veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson

Be it writing her weekly column for The Age or appearing on Channel Nine’s Footy Classified and a smattering of radio segments, at the heart of veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson’s work is talking to people.

“It might sound a bit boring, but in terms of professional work I’m mostly just on the telephone,” she says.

Having pulled back from the rush of daily journalism, Wilson has a new-found time and passion for gardening, reading, cinema-going, bridge lessons and even co-hosting the weekly podcast Don’t Shoot the Messenger with her best friend, Corrie Perkin.

Wilson admits the above list sounds “pretty retirement,” but says: “I’m trying to do more with my life than just write about football.”

Morning

I’m an early riser and three mornings a week I go to a local gym group, so I’m up at 5.30. Once a week I’ll meet Corrie (Perkin) to record the podcast and that’s all over by 8.30am.

If I’m at the beach, I will head out for a walk with my very old dog. I still buy the newspapers each day.

Once I’m home I’ll have breakfast and get on the phone. Life has taught me that the more phone calls you make about any story, the better.

Monday is probably my busiest day. Before I drive back to Melbourne, I talk to the producers at Footy Classified just before 9am about ideas for the show, then I drive to the The Age to do the Real Footy podcast.

Midday

If I’m not at home for lunch I’ll meet a contact or catch up with an old friend or work colleague.

When I’m sitting down to write a story I’ll make a pot of tea in a beautiful old metal teapot that I couldn’t live without. Sometimes I sit at a desk, sometimes I’m on the sofa, sometimes I’m just in a chair with my laptop – the ritual is the tea.

Anyone who has ever waited for my copy will attest that I’m a massive procrastinator – I find it really hard to sit down and start, but once I do I’m pretty good.

The biggest distractions are always the garden, chores around the house or wanting to make something, like my mother’s lemon cordial.

Late afternoon

This tends to be time to catch up with friends and prepare something nice and healthy for dinner, which I haven’t had time to do in the past.

I think if you’re someone who has to be up really early and working really late, you should try to sit down for at least half an hour at some point during the day and just stop.

Evening

Two evenings a week I do radio spots, so there’s some preparation.

I’m not someone who sits around very often. That said, the great thing about working from home most of the time is that when your work is done, you can just go and put the kettle on. If it’s later in the day, pour yourself a glass of wine, do a crossword or pick up a book. I’m pretty good at unwinding.

We might go out to a local restaurant, the football or the ballet. If I’m not out, I tend to go to bed early at about 10 o’clock.

Madeleine Dore is a freelance writer and the creator of Extraordinary Routines.