For new Dunedin coroner Alexandra Cunninghame, it is one of the ways she copes with dealing with death and people at their most vulnerable.
"It’s important always to have that work-life balance, to finish work and have other things to do."
However, Ms Cunninghame said her role was not only about looking at the death of a person, but also their life.
"When writing findings, someone is not just defined by death but also their life."
Dunedin-born, she completed a bachelor of laws and a bachelor of arts with honours in English at the University of Otago.
She taught English in South Korea, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court in 2008.
She worked at Anderson Lloyd and the University of Otago Legal Issues Centre before applying for the position of coroner.
"It’s hard to predict where you’ll be when you start out, but I realised [being a coroner] was something I was really interested in doing."
She applied for the relief coroner position last year, and was sworn into the role on March 25.
The impending lockdown meant a formal ceremony in court was abandoned and the occasion was marked with a brief, socially distanced ceremony with four guests instead.
"Then I was sent home with IT and computers to begin working from home."
Her first six weeks in the role were spent at home.
"It was unusual, but I was so fortunate to be starting a job when many people were doing the opposite."
She is one of eight new relief coroners who have been brought in around the country to address a significant backlog in cases.
Coroners are responsible for dealing with sudden or unexplained deaths.
They inquire where needed to determine the cause, and are charged with making recommendations to prevent similar deaths happening again.
A common misconception was that coroners were all doctors, Ms Cunninghame said.
"I’m not a doctor, I didn’t go to medical school."
Her role was based in Dunedin, but cases from across the South Island landed on her desk.
An important aspect of the role was providing closure to families and answering questions where she could.
"Everybody grieves in a different way, this role brought that home ... the impact a coroner’s findings will have depends on circumstances but we can sometimes assist families in finding answers.
"It is terribly sad, dealing with people in various stages of grief as time passes, but it’s a meaningful occupation."
Ms Cunninghame recently took part in the Kepler Challenge, but found being outdoors, spending time with family and baking cakes were other ways to relax.
She was appointed to the role of relief coroner for five years.
