The entrepreneur gives a lowdown on her downtime and reveals why family time is most important for her.
Managing both — a super-hectic professional life and an equally busy personal one — is no mean feat for a working mom. But entrepreneur Gayatri Ruia has mastered the skill over the years. So, it’s hardly surprising to see her at home, working even as she’s sitting with her kids, while they do their homework. “I don’t like 12-16 hour work hours and I’d rather work from my car than sit at one place,” says Ruia, adding, “It is like a juggling act.”
Ruia, who has several ventures under her hat including a fashion store and a popular mid-town mall in the city, admits that being a woman on the job, her approach to work is often different from that of a man’s, “Sometimes when my husband and I are sitting in the office, the comparisons become clearer because our perspectives are different at times.” She feels that there is a holistic view to the problem that women bring. “I think women do tend to be pushovers, and I know that I am. And while the male approach is a more surefire way in the short term, the female approach has long term gains,” Ruia asserts.
Being the only child, Ruia also enjoys wholehearted attention from her parents, as she laughs, “I made my parents move from Pune to Mumbai so they could watch their grandchildren grow up, and also so I could look after them. But now that they have moved, they are the ones looking after me!” She pauses and adds that family support means the world to her.
And what about some happy family time? “We head to Alibaug where we have a nice family home, once in four-five weeks. And if that doesn’t happen then we’re almost always at our mall, catching a movie, getting a haircut, shopping for my groceries and buying recipe books,” she says, adding that she has discovered great joy in cooking.
Her mommy time with her girls Sharanya, aged nine, and Tarini, aged six, is devoted to reading together. However, she rues that she is no longer the storyteller. “Both my girls are avid readers and are at an age when they read for themselves. But they love to hear stories about my husband and my own childhood,” the proud mom beams.
The family just returned from a summer vacation in Scotland. “It was a lovely countryside and we did a lot of outdoor activities. But honestly vacations are not so simple with our busy time table. Thankfully last-minute travel plans are easy today,” Ruia says.
The family also loves indulging in sporty activities, whether it’s playing frisbee or going for a swim. But Ruia confesses that she’s never so relaxed as to meditate or do yoga. “I find it easier to unwind with a Sudoku puzzle, reading a book, cooking or doing something creative… helping my kids with their art and craft work. Whenever I’m stressed, I just look at the shade cards and fabrics at my store and it makes me happy again,” she says.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbrAoqWdoZFjsLC5jqWgn52jqcatsY6rnKmnoql6p63MoqOyZZGjsW7DzquiZqSZm7JutdJmmGaipZy0rbXNoGSam6RiwKLF0maemrGRqb%2BqedGuoJplYWqCdXyTag%3D%3D