Lucy Slight is Viva Magazine's Beauty Editor and has worked in media in both New Zealand and Australia for the past 15 years. She has written for titles including Fashion Quarterly, Sunday, Together Journal, MTV Australia, Nadia, NZ Weddings, Your Home & Garden, Simply You and Girlfriend. Lucy lives in Titirangi with her husband Clint who co-hosts ZM’s drive show, two daughters Tui (3) and Maggie (1) and naughty British Shorty cats Ziggy and Bowie.
You’re a busy mum of two and a respected writer - how do you find your balance?
I don’t think I do! The girls take up most of my time and when they're at daycare I'm working three days a week, both in the Viva office and from home. I don't have time for "me-time" but i really want to start committing to some exercise, because my body really needs it. I have a subscription to Peaches Pilates, which is an online platform with loads of great workouts, so in 2023 I want to set aside time to do a few a week to get some more balance. I also love the few hours between the girls going to bed and my own bedtime, which is when I blob in front of the TV and just relax. I try not to work in the evenings for that reason.
What does your routine look like at home, and what advice would you give to our readers on how to achieve a sense of accomplishment in their day to day lives?
I set my alarm for 6am and provided neither of the girls have woken me earlier than that, I meditate for 20 minutes. I practice Vedic meditation which involves two 20 minute meditations per day. I love that my 6am session sets me up for the day and revives me if it has been a rough night (Vedic meditation puts your mind in a deeper state of rest than sleep, it’s a miracle worker!). Then it's all go with the breakfast / getting dressed / getting out the door mission if it’s a daycare / work day. On those days I’ll either go into the office if I have meetings or work from home in my little home office until 3pm when I need to get ready to collect the girls. From there it's a whirlwind entertaining children and doing the dinner / bed / bath rush (on my own because Clint works until 7pm) and after that it’s time to watch trash tv and mindlessly scroll on my phone. I always try to read before bed to wind down though - a Kindle has been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
My advice on achieving a sense of accomplishment, especially when it comes to work, is to just get started, even if you feel overwhelmed. As a writer, there’s nothing more daunting than staring at a blank page, so for me, I just need to sit down and do a huge brain dump and get something on the page for me to work from. I always feel like I’ve achieved something when I do that, and the ideas tend to flow from there.
Are you a goal setter? How do you motivate yourself?
To be honest, I’ve never been a goal setter. I just keep things in my head and don’t put pressure on myself. In saying that though, I always get a lot more done when I write out a to-do list and can tick things off. So I guess you’d call those mini goals? I’m also a firm believer in the fact that everything that’s meant to happen, will happen, and I’m getting good at listening to my intuition a lot more when it comes to making decisions. My meditation teacher Georgia Vavasour talks a lot about “following charm” and it’s something I am now really big on too. If something feels charming to me, then I’ll go with it and see where it leads. That’s much more my style of thinking about things, as opposed to setting goals. I like seeing where the universe will take me!
At Shjark, we like to embrace being our authentic selves. Do you have any thoughts on how your identity has shifted or evolved over your lifetime?
I often hear new mums say that they felt like they lost their sense of self after having babies, but I’ve never really felt that way. I think I’m in the mindset that it’s the same me I’ve always been but I’m just constantly moving through different seasons of my life. I retain who I am through all the different seasons and all the change; I stay the same while everything around me moves, or I learn to evolve with it gradually.
Do you have a go-to outfit or signature daily style that makes you feel most confident?
Every day I get dressed in an outfit that makes me feel good, even if I’m staying home all day (which I often do). I always wear clothes that are comfortable but that’s not exercise gear, unless I’m actually going to exercise. So it might be slightly sculpted trackpants and an oversized textured knit if I’m in total home mode, or loose-fitting jeans and a fun T-shirt. I always like at least one element of my outfit to be big and baggy, and I love adding irony with weird shoes or something really masculine like a XXL men’s shirt. I have jewellery that I never take off too - rings on each hand, a few earrings (I have six piercings) and thin gold necklaces. They always make me feel a bit more polished.
What's next for you, any exciting plans in the pipeline you can share?
We have just moved to a new home in Titirangi which is so magical. There is so much exploring to do in our own backyard as we’re surrounded by bush with a bay right at the bottom of our street, so I’m really looking forward to embracing life away from all the hustle and bustle.
FURTHER READING
