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Planning to make a big move in the land down under? While the scheduled move can evoke a wide range of emotions, it’s essential to stay grounded. Remember: you’re not going there on a short holiday, you’re living there for the long term. And this, naturally, entails you to prepare adequately beforehand.
If you’re unsure of what to expect, the Australian lifestyle can cause a massive culture shock, for better or for worse. Aussies are known for being laid-back and friendly folks, but there’s much more to them than what meets the eye when it comes to playing a role in daily living in the country.
If you want to make the most of everyday living in Australia, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will delve into five prominent and notable lifestyle shifts you’ll most certainly notice when relocating to Australia.
Let’s jump right into it!
1) A relaxed work-life balance
Let’s start with something quite positive: Australians don’t expect their workforce to be full-blown productivity machines.
Most companies and supervisors encourage their workers to only work during company hours and not engage in overtime. Furthermore, work tends to be significantly less stressful in Australia compared to some places in the West, such as the US.
If you’re coming from the US or a country where work is inextricably tied to your life, this lifestyle shift can be a big breather. Aussies value productivity and meeting deadlines, naturally, but they also hold equal weight when it comes to having a life outside of work and being an easygoing person to associate with both in and outside the workplace.
Furthermore, many Australian labour policies skew towards favouring the side of the workers. This means a lot of safeguards are in place to protect legitimate workers in the nation, such as mandated minimum wages and strict penalties on companies that practice unlawful termination.
Of course, workplace culture varies from place to place. But generally speaking, if you manage to score a job in Australia, you’re likely looking at a looser, more casual, and more flexible working arrangement than what you may be accustomed to back home.
Want to learn more about Aussie culture? This Westpac page goes into greater detail to help you learn about the culture and lifestyle of your everyday Australian citizen.
2) You’ll be captivated by the great outdoors
Another lifestyle habit you may naturally gravitate towards when you first move to Australia is a fascination with outdoor activities.
Australia is home to a plethora of stunning natural sites that make it an excellent place for hikes, road trips, and water sports. You don’t have to do anything too strenuous either; a simple stroll in the park is a popular way many locals spend their free time.
Even if you plan to move to a bustling metropolitan city like Melbourne and Sydney, you’re never too far from a calming (or thrilling, whichever your drift!) natural escape.
If life back home is devoid of natural diversity, the sheer number of outdoor options you can find in Australia can be overwhelming. Moreover, most locals tend to spend a lot of time doing outdoor activities like BBQs and picnics for fun as part of their daily life. Social events are often conducted outdoors as well, such as in parks.
So, if you want to properly integrate into society, then engaging in some outdoor activities every once in a while in Australia is often a rite of passage to fully embrace Aussie living. Furthermore, locals also very much prioritise respecting Mother Nature—following recycling rules and sustainability practices.
In any case, if you’re not a fan of nature back home, it’s best to give it a chance in Australia: the natural wonders here are sure to impress. Moreover, the environment would be much better off if you joined in and took care of the environment as well.
3) You’ll start your day early
Australia is a morning country. Locals tend to get going early in the morning, whether it’s by going out on a run, grabbing breakfast and meeting with a friend at a café, or simply waking up and getting ready for the day.
This early culture is reflected in the opening hours of many shops in the country; it’s not uncommon for malls and cafes to close in the mid-afternoon or once the sun sets, for instance.
Of course, in major cities, you’ll definitely find some nightlife hubs that can occupy your time once night rolls over. But generally speaking, Aussies tend to skew towards seizing the morning and getting things done early.
So if you’re a night owl, then you may have to change your habits to mirror the locals once you finally set foot in this country.
4) Aussies are polite and casual
Upon arriving in Australia, you’ll soon come to find that Aussies generally possess an easygoing yet respectful nature. The way they communicate, both inside and outside of the workplace, leans towards casual and straightforward, while still maintaining an air of politeness to whoever they happen to talk to.
Aussies don’t like hearing honorifics attached to their name (unless they’re a doctor or in some highly specialised field), they prefer to be regarded by their first names. The casual aura of Aussie communication is one that spans all types of interactions. This makes your everyday Aussie approachable and authentic.
If you want to integrate into Australian society, you should learn to emulate this easygoing approach. Manners still matter, but building respect among Aussies will require you to communicate in the way they normally do.
5) Cost of living can be expensive
One significant lifestyle shift you’ll face upon living in Australia is the higher costs of, well, everything. It should be no surprise to Kiwis and other migrants that Australia is one of the world’s most expensive countries to live in.
If you lack adequate savings, have no consistent source of income, or have a job that doesn’t sustain the cost of living in your place, then you could have a very hard time managing your life and finances when in the country.
As a newly relocated person, you’ll likely also not have any fallback option in Australia, meaning your financial woes will need to be handled by yourself. This can be especially taxing if you’re unfamiliar with navigating the Australian landscape.
On the bright side, if you do have a well-paying job in Australia, you’ll quickly find out that the higher wages generally balance out the steep living costs. Australia’s minimum wage is among the highest in the world, and full-time employees often enjoy strong benefits such as paid leave, healthcare coverage, and superannuation.
We hope that we’ve covered enough lifestyle shifts to help you prepare yourself for your upcoming move to the land down under. All the best!
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