WAKING up each day faced with the thought of plenty of work emails sitting there, ready for you to trawl through is one thing.
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Throw in the role of a councillor and you've got a whole other abundance of information waiting for you to read through.
But Northern Grampians councillor Lauren Dempsey says she wouldn't have it any other way.
Cr Dempsey was elected to council in November 2020 - a 14-month stint she said has delivered her a different experience every day since she started.
"I juggle still having to work pretty much full time," she said.
"When I got the role at council I did drop my work down to four days a week - you just can't fit it all in.
"The last 14 months have been trying to juggle all of my commitments and find a nice healthy balance which has certainly been a challenge - but one I've really enjoyed."
Cr Dempsey said the role on the council could be as much as one was willing to put into it.
"At the same time, the allowance you get doesn't cover you to live so I've got to balance that with still working at my other job," she said.
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"2021 was definitely the busiest year of my life. I learnt so much about the council and initially, there is so much to get your head around.
"There is such a vast array of information you need to know about. From planning to waste to everyday community things.
"There are so many finer details and as a councillor, you have to make some big decisions so you need to be across and understand everything and the knowledge to do it while understanding the policies and procedures that are in place.
"It can be a lot to take in and it's not as simple as it might seem."
Cr Dempsey said to help her balance her roles she relied on external support networks and utilised resources that were available.
"There is a mentoring program for new female councillors and through council, I was able to obtain a mentor for 12 months," she said.
"We'd have fortnightly conversations where we would work through any questions or queries and have a chat about how things are going.
"It was really good to get that guidance and support as well."
Cr Dempsey said a piece of advice she received early on in the role was that the position could "swallow you whole".
"That's why it is so important to have that balance so you can look at things objectively and from a broad view and really understand how it would impact the community," she said.
"I've always been a person who has avoided confrontation in life. In terms of the fight or flight response I know I was a flight-er.
"In these situations, you have to sit through meetings or briefings and have debates on topics and really stand your ground and have your points while taking in other's perspective too.
"There have been some times where personally I've been challenged by that and I'm so proud I've learnt and grown in those situations and managed any anxiety that has crept in, in those situations.
"I'm proud that I've had a voice, a strong voice, and believed in myself and my purpose for my community."
After being elected to Council, Cr Dempsey said she didn't really have any expectations going in and tried to keep an open mind.
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"I knew the timing was right for me to go onto the council and I always go back to the purpose of why I am here when I am finding I am struggling with that balance," she said.
"My purpose is to be here for my community and that's why I am doing it. It really holds me in good stead and helps me focus on what I need to achieve.
"It's been tricky with a lot of lockdowns this year and not being able to connect face to face with the community.
"I felt I've missed opportunities to have that broad perspective that I would gain from being out and about and bring that back to council. I'm really looking forward to getting past this next stage of the pandemic we are in and really immersing myself into the community at events and talking to as many people as I can."
Reflecting on the past 14 months Cr Dempsey said the most rewarding thing was fulfilling her purpose of being on council.
"Part of my nature is helping others," she said.
"People come to me with a lot of questions about council or topics and then I help source that information for them.
"I'm hoping the more time I spend on council the bigger wins we can get on the board. Time goes so fast so you really need to savour those moments.
"I can be here advocating for my local community on their needs and wants."
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