For Rachna Aggarwal, CEO of Indus League, going on vacations with her family is a rejuvenating exercise that leaves her brimming with energy.
As a businesswoman, wife and mother of two daughters aged 12 and 8 years old, I call myself a master juggler handling deadlines and my daughters’ homework at the same time! Reason why taking periodic breaks is an integral part of my life. I cherish my
vacations because I come back from these holidays energised, brimming with new ideas. But vacations for me needn’t necessarily have to be expensive or exotic. It could even mean heading off to a place close by.
Fortunately, it’s just not me; my entire family enjoys travelling. We take at least four breaks a year and interestingly, we spend a lot of time planning for these vacations — discussing where we want to go and what we want to do. The reason we love taking these breaks is because vacations are time when we to spend time with each other, away from our hectic schedules.
Yes, I do have a bucket list of places I want to see. Egypt is riding high on the list of countries I want to visit. That said, today, my priority has changed to where my kids want to go and they want to visit places like London and New York. As an individual, I love being by the beach. That’s why Goa is one place we just can’t have enough of. Since the last 14-15 years, we have been ringing in the New Year in Goa.
Talking of other family activities, I have quite the musical family. My husband Arun plays the harmonica, the older one plays the guitar and the younger one, the keyboard. So, we have karaoke at home, quite often.
Apart from travelling, the other activities I enjoy include reading books, watching movies, meeting friends and doing yoga.
I enjoy reading pulp fiction because after a hectic day at work, I want to read something light. Once in a while, I also enjoy bingeing on Mills & Boon and Silhouette novellas. One wants to read such stuff because it’s about freeing the mind from everyday tension. In movies, I love watching action movies. I also enjoy the typical Bollywood fare and for me watching a movie is not complete till I cry! I also enjoy watching classic English movies like The Bridge On River Kwai.
Another activity that really helps me de-stress, both physically and mentally is doing yoga. It gives me the much-needed me-time away from the latest deadline.
As a working woman, I do have other women asking me how I handle all the different roles so deftly. Well, it is true that as a working mom, there’s always the guilt of not being there enough for your kids but you try and do as much as you can. What makes it easy to cope with the guilt is the fact that I am a happier person today and have the energy to give more to my daughters. I don’t think I would have been as happy as I am today, if I were a stay-at-home mother. I am also lucky that I have a good support system in place.
My parents relocated from Kolkata to Bangalore and live close to us to take care of the kids. And between my husband and me, sharing duties has become an integral part of life. When am travelling for work, my husband steps in. So, if it means he has to take the kids to the dentist, he does it.
My advice to other working women is simply this:
Take each day as it comes. Don’t get stuck wondering about tomorrow’s problems today. Fact is, solutions always work out.
Whether it’s having a career or staying at home, do what you think is right and will work for you. There really is no right or wrong.
n Whatever you’re doing, do it with
energy and passion.
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