The photos on my website are a fabrication because in reality, my desk is never that tidy for long. Think: scribbled-on notebooks, scattered Post-Its, empty mugs and biscuit crumbs.

 

And that’s just my home office. The chaotic beauty of my previous workspace of five years in the newsroom was a sight to behold.

 

(Although I will say I’ve never left a mug with dregs of tea so long it’s gone mouldy 🥴 which I definitely saw on previous colleagues’ desks)

 

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was sent to Brisbane to record interviews for the podcast episodes I’m writing in my journo role. 

 

This involved a visit to the Brisbane ABC offices – and I felt seriously out of place.

 

The building was this beautiful, modern and sleek multi-storey hub with massive, open plan office spaces. 

 

In contrast our office (although gorgeous on the outside) has leaky roof panels, ratty carpets and a lunchroom with no windows.

 

But in this huge office, I felt awkward and bumbling and like I had no idea what I was doing.

GIF description: Stevie from Schitt's Creek saying ‘I’m feeling very uncomfortable'

 

There were a few hours to kill before my interview, though, so I borrowed a vacant desk. 

 

I say vacant, but it was someone’s desk: there was a calendar, some snacks, an empty mug, scattered papers with coffee rings. 

 

Exactly the sort of space I occupy back in our much less glamerous office. 

 

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what the workspace looks like – for me the only important things are what I’m writing on the screen. (Maybe that’s why I find it so easy to ignore the clutter around me, too?)

 

It made me realise that business is a bit the same. 

 

We’re sitting at our messy desk and wondering if we’re doing it right, while scrolling through the shiny Pinterest-perfect shots of what everyone else is doing. 

 

Maybe, like me, you’re comparing yourself and wondering if you’re not ‘as good’ as they are. 

 

 

Because if I’m learning anything lately, it’s that none of us has our shit together as much as we think everyone else does. 

 

Most of us have some part of our business that feels messy or uncertain – yes, even the outwardly successful entrepreneurs.