#NTPeople: Sajni Mashruwala
Sajni Mashruwala is the poster image of the perfect #WomanOnTheGo. From the short time span of knowing her, she is nothing short of awe-inspiring. A doting mother to an 11-year old boy, awesome cook, involved in her family business, extreme yoga enthusiast and in between all that, finds the time to pursue her artistic ambitions. While art and paint has been a constant in her life, only recently did she venture into commercially pursuits, with creating backdrop boards for photographers, customizing shades and textures as per the requirements. But of course, enterprising as she is (she has an MBA degree!), she has found creative ways to extend her pursuits into other mediums – coasters, mats, framed works… Sajni has worked with us for the display set ups and been instrumental in bringing our vision into reality.
I’ve had impromptu meetings with her, where she is dressed to the nines, she loves coffee, indulges in carb-i-licious lunches while maintaining her fitness regime, manages her home, office and family members, has a long list of best friends and has maintained her cool throughout the infamous lockdown period. She is superwoman, yet beneath all that, she is a woman, with the same vulnerabilities as ours – inspiring us to grow, fight our doubts and move ahead with head brimming with positivity.
Here, we get a sneak peek into her daily lifestyle:
Tell us your relationship with skincare and how it has evolved over time?
My early memory of skincare routine goes back to my teenage days. My mother made me follow the routine of cleansing, moisturizing and hydrating. It involved drinking ample water, fresh coconut water, eating fruits and applying coconut oil on face and body (especially more during winter months)
What’s your typical morning and evening skincare routine?
Tapping my face gently and splashing cold tap water is my typical morning routine. At least once a week I scrub my face with a mild exfoliant. Though there are many body lotions available in the market, I always prefer good quality body oil. Before going to bed, I wash my face with a mild face wash and then generously massage a moisturizer (usually cold pressed coconut oil) on my face and neck.
I know firsthand that you're an amazing mother, and your son is one of the most well-behaved, curious kids I know. Do you also share skincare advice to him?
Yes, I do. I believe that skin care routine is important, that helps you to have a good personality. I tell him to moisturize well, eat seasonal fruits and keep himself well hydrated.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Usually I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep and wake up by 7am. I try to spend first 30 minutes of the day by myself. I practice a few minutes of pranayam along with planning my day and then start my morning routine.
What’s your daily morning beverage and breakfast?
I start my day with almonds, dates and other dry fruits which are soaked overnight along with couple of glasses of water from the copper jug. I like to have a big cup of coffee without sugar and later on, one helping of a seasonal fruit. I usually don’t have a very heavy breakfast, as I go for my workout right after.
#WomenOnTheGo: How do you balance your work and personal life?
Most of the times, I know beforehand what is lined up and I always try to keep some buffer time in between before I commit for any work orders. A good team and a great understanding relationship with my husband helps me balance my work and personal life, which is why I never feel like I’m walking on a tight rope.
How often can you carve out your ‘me time’ and what does it entail?
My “me time” is my power booster. I need to spend time reading books, browsing some good online articles, going on coffee dates with my friends and most importantly playing board games with my son.
How did you choose a career in art? What inspired you to pursue this field?
Since my childhood days, I have been learning and practicing various forms of art. My parents provided me a good exposure of art (painting) and classical dance by sending me to some good tutors, which is helping me a lot today. Though I haven’t done any professional course in fine arts, it seems my personal inclination and dedication has helped me to choose this field.
How are you able to balance your two careers (art and finance) as well as being a mother?
It’s not difficult to balance when you set your priorities right. Also in my case I have a very supportive family and they keep me inspiring and motivating me, special shout out to my husband. I had taken a sabbatical from my work during my pregnancy. Staying back home and watch him grow was a wonderful feeling, but those few years had actually shaken my confidence of getting back to work. That’s when I found solace in creating art and then I gradually joined our family business.
Who or what inspires you in your work?
Travelling and observing the nature around inspires me a lot, along with my love for reading books based on architecture and history. There are days when I just paint to relax.
What has been the highlight of your business?
It has given me a sense of happiness and satisfaction as I am able to take out time to satiate my creative soul. Also on this wonderful journey, I have met many new people and made friends and realized that life is always a learning curve.
How do you deal with setbacks in/at work?
Keeping calm, positivity and staying true to myself. Also, discussing it with my family members, especially my husband helps me to move ahead. I truly believe that progress is only possible if we have empathy and understand the client requirement.
What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2020/the year?
On the professional front, I would like to experiment more with various art mediums. I also want to spend more time honing my photography skills and playing golf.
You can get in touch with Sajni for your backdrop requirements + all things art below
Instagram: @sajnimashruwala
