The Hindu Business Line : Time for little delights

The best things in life are the people we love, the places we've seen, and the memories we've made along the way,' states a magnet that adorns a friend's refrigerator. The picture that accompanies it is of two figures sitting on a mat spread out on a sandy, blue beach, contemplating the horizon from under the shade of a parasol. Simply, and yet strikingly, it captures the essence of everything that really matters, and is sufficient inspiration to make time for the little delights of life. Canvas spoke to a number of busy women executives to find out how they relaxed after a hard day at work, and found that whatever they did fell into one or more of the categories mentioned in the opening statement.

Says Latha Rajan, Promoter and Director, Ma Foi Management Consultants, "Work-life balance is extremely critical to me, so by and large, unwinding is getting back to the children." With a daughter aged 13 and son aged 7, she says most of the attention is paid to them, but she does listen to music ("anything melodious") and holidays with family once in a while. She swims occasionally, and finds "it a great stress-buster."

Shubha Kulkarni, Vice-President (HR), Perot Systems, finds her stress-busting moments in architecture and interior design. Her job takes her to a number of places, and she likes to collect Asian-style objets d'art. Bronze statues, big and small, are her passion. "I find enjoyment in small home improvements," she says.

For most women, music is a de-stressing tool, as are books. But the range varies. While Latha sticks to magazines, Shubha likes fiction and management books. Right now, she is reading Winning by Jack Welch and Suzy Welch but is taking her time, as she wants to learn from it. Shubha also gets together with friends a couple of times a month and at such meetings they sing old songs! Trained in Carnatic music, she also sings for her own pleasure. She finds meditation and singing "completely rejuvenating."

Anupam Ahuja, Director (Communications), OfficeTiger, likes to read spiritual books. She thinks that they have helped her a lot in her career and "to keep in touch with herself." A busy career woman, she keeps moving between New York where she lives, and Chennai where she has been camping out for the past two months, apart from travelling to Mumbai and New Delhi, where her family lives. She says catching up with her family members is a big de-stressor for her. Anupam, who has a platter full of activity to keep her busy, loves Tintin and Tom & Jerry cartoons because "they are so funny and transport me to another world."

For some women, working out is another favourite way to unwind.. Says Akila Srikanth, Partner and Director of Chennai fitness studio Dimensions, "However stressed out I am, I make time for a workout, either at my studio or at my club." Friends are important too. She has a wide circle of friends with whom she goes out Friday nights. She also has two groups of friends from school and college with whom she does `girls only' dates once in five or six weeks. And her 10-year-old son is a big source of solace, Sundays being devoted to him, his games and his friends.

Shubha, who has a five-year-old son, also mentions that spending time with her son is a big stress-buster. Taking him to his golf lessons and doing whatever interests him relaxes her a lot. Reading fiction, especially Indian writing in English and Chicklit, which is such a popular genre in fiction today, is a passion and good fun, she says.

Kausalya Nathan, a practitioner of alternative medicine in Chennai, says, "Women's relaxation needs are different at different stages. In the 25-35 years stage, they are busy starting career, marriage and family, so there is a lot of stress trying to balance various demands, and they see window shopping and spending as one way to relieve it. In the next ten years, as they progress to their high points at work and home, they are able to give more to work and family, but also need to watch out for pre-menopausal symptoms." So how does she unwind? "I live in the present, separate work and family, and put my best into whatever I am doing, whether it's seeing my patients get better or whether I am dressing up," she says, in what sounds like a rather unusual answer.

Let's give the final word on recreation to Ernest Hemingway, who said: "I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently."

Picture by Bijoy Ghosh

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Addicted to golf

Relaxing right

Time for little delights

From gardening to travelling

All work & some play

No time for a break...

Gymming, Jogging, Swimming