Pooja Sriram, model marketer, creator and podcast host

Hello there!

The 12 months is shifting swiftly and as my record of issues to do appears to be rising endlessly, I’m misplaced the place to start.

I just lately got here throughout the Eisenhower Matrix, additionally known as Pressing-Vital Matrix, which helps you determine on and prioritize duties by urgency and significance. It’s a simple framework that can assist you lower out the stuff you don’t must do your self, or in any respect, so to give attention to what you will need to do.

“If you’re all the time working behind doing what’s pressing you’ll miss out on doing what’s vital,” writes Pooja Sriram, the working mum I just lately interviewed, which made me surprise if she applies the Eisenhower Matrix to her life too – am I the one one who didn’t find out about this? Higher late than by no means, I assume.

Onto my interview for this week. That is the my first interview of 2023, with many others within the pipeline (so excited!).

I got here throughout Pooja on Linkedin. Aside from being a working mum, what drew me to her account was that she had a 100% distant job, had written books, and had a fairly cool podcast.

As I all the time say, one of the best factor about my publication is that it offers me an ideal excuse to succeed in out to unbelievable mums who’re designing lives that they love and provoking others on the best way.

By opening a window into the lives and habits of mums that encourage me, I hope to transmit that inspiration to you.

Right here is my dialog with Pooja.

Q. Inform us a bit bit about your self (work, household and private pursuits/hobbies)

I’m a content material creator, a model marketer and a kids’s e book creator! I dwell in Bangalore in India with my household and I’m a real South Indian by tradition.

I’ve various pursuits that embody storytelling, mentoring and writing. I typically do visitor lectures and consulting and discover it liberating to mentor college students and share my learnings.

I take pleasure in my time with nature, animals and discover each doable second to construct reminiscences with my household.

Q. Did your skilled ambitions change after changing into a mum? If that’s the case, how?

My skilled ambitions had been all the time simply ‘a component’ of my life and by no means took over my life. I all the time knew I need to use my expertise to be financially unbiased, and that didn’t change after motherhood. I didn’t ponder getting again to company life so early on after changing into a mom, however my husband supported and motivated me to maintain my ambitions alive.

Q. Inform us a bit about your distant function at Sprinklr and the way did you handle to get this distant alternative being based mostly in India?

My present function is one in all content material and model advertising to create and distribute content material to assist a model develop within the SaaS area. I’ve been working remotely since earlier than the pandemic. It actually makes it handy for working mums like me, who’re keen to place in 100% at work solely by having that tiny little bit of comfort and suppleness of being there for the household when wanted.

I obtained the chance to work at a number of companies remotely as a result of I used to be positive of what I wished to do, I had sufficient information to again my productiveness regardless of the place I labored from, and I didn’t shrink back to ask for what I wished. However due to Linkedin, the enjoying area was leveled properly for me.

Q. How has having a distant job modified your life, each as knowledgeable and a mum?

Having a distant function has been a blessing. If it was not for a distant function, I might have probably give up the company workspace. It retains me busy, challenged and enthusiastic in the course of the day when my 4-year previous is at college. I take pleasure in being there for him when he’s house and I’m able to slot in some extracurricular actions for him.

The most effective a part of being a Work From Dwelling mother is the truth that my son will get to see how I handle my time and perceive that I work arduous, take pleasure in doing what I do, and in addition find time for him when he wants me essentially the most. Educating him my model of work-life steadiness is a type of ‘present & inform’ on a regular basis at house.

Q. You’re the creator of two kids’s books! What impressed you to jot down them?

My first e book known as ‘Amma’s Work From Dwelling Buddy’ and true to its identify, it’s impressed by what occurs at our house (and lots of different properties). It’s a simple e book written for shared studying with younger youngsters to show them how their moms are busy, however but make time to be with them. The best way I normalize work-life steadiness (if there’s any such factor!) is what impressed me to jot down the e book, however I wished to make it one which talks to youngsters and never a self assist one which talks to mothers (we’ve too lots of them).

My second e book known as ‘Hairdresser in a Hairless City’ which is a fictional story of how you can not surrender in difficult conditions. As a mother of a 4-year previous boy and aunt of a 7-year previous, I typically pay attention in (generally eavesdrop!) on attention-grabbing conversations between the boys. The toddler unabashedly asks questions and the older one has good solutions prepared. Such conversations impressed me write a narrative to encourage extra conversations and get youngsters to provide you with their very own concepts to resolve an issue.

I’ve all the time preferred writing, however most of my writing has been on blogs and web sites. I wished my e book writing to transcend the display screen onto tables, bedsides and bookshelves of properties and get younger readers to carry the e book to learn fairly than stare at a display screen.

Q. How do you encourage your son to learn?

My son likes books though he’s solely 4-years previous and may learn solely 3-4 letter phrases slowly. We launched him to books very early on, and with time, the kind of books, the best way we learn, the best way we convey books into his day, has developed. I write extensively on my weblog the place I’ve articles with tips on getting kids closer to books; studying which book to pick for your kid; and introducing Indian authors who write books for kids.

Q. Inform us a bit about Venture Spark, what impressed the launch of this podcast?

Venture Spark is a ardour undertaking. I co-host the podcast with a good friend and we do it as a result of we like making dialog, and amplifying voices of individuals round us. After creating rather a lot within the digital medium (writing); creating much more within the visible medium (my instagram account is a visible diary); and even publishing within the print medium (my books); I used to be intrigued to see what I may do within the audio area. When my good friend stated it was her need to start out a podcast too, we determined to convey our skillsets collectively. We now have introduced on 25+ girls in our first season of the podcast and have obtained some nice suggestions. (Test it out here)

Q. How are you doing all this stuff, and being a mum!? How do you handle your time?

It might sound clichéd, however in case you have time to scroll on Instagram or watch Netflix, you’ve time for something. I do perceive that many moms would not have the luxurious of doing that, however that’s the place it turns into vital to set priorities. Perceive what’s vital in your life versus pressing. And break up your time well between them. If you’re all the time working behind doing what’s pressing you’ll miss out on doing what’s vital. I’m lucky that I’ve assist for doing chores at house, and I’m grateful that it offers me time and freedom to do different issues.

One other easy trick that propels my need to do various things is a results of spending time on the ‘why’ fairly than the ‘how’. If my ‘why’ to do one thing is robust sufficient, I do know I’ll discover a solution to ‘how’ to find time for it.

Q. What’s your final aim as a working mum?

There are not any ultimatums in my life. I just like the mantra of going with the move and making one of the best of each state of affairs.

The aim of life – mum or not, working or not, is to be joyful. To be joyful you might want to first be wholesome and every part else follows. I consider that as a working mother, I’m able to be financially unbiased, use my time productively, assist in offering for the household – and this retains us all wholesome (bodily & mentally) and joyful. I hope to maintain this equation intact and sustainable. That’s the solely aim.

Q. The place do you get your inspiration?

Inspiration is throughout us. We simply must take a second to pause and soak it in. Observing site visitors can encourage you to jot down a music. fish swim can encourage you to journey. There are not any boundaries of inspiration. My largest inspiration is my son. I have a look at the world and am unlearning and studying by means of his views.

Q. What’s your greatest productiveness hack?

Undecided if there’s a higher time period for it, however I wish to tempo my duties and do them in chunks. For instance, I learn a e book until a chapter ends, then I take a break; I end writing 5 emails, then I take a break; I pay attention to at least one episode of a podcast then I take a break. This fashion, I don’t burden myself to do one factor constantly, or set a schedule that’s not versatile. By pacing myself as I do various things, I’m able to full extra issues and never really feel the stress of any particular exercise.

Q. What do you do in your ‘me-time’ and the way does it make it easier to?

I get up earlier than the remainder of my household and that the one true ‘me time’ I get. I’ve to watch out to not make noise so I can extend that point so long as doable! My ‘me time’ is normally me staring into nature or training yoga, concentrating by myself breath and nothing else.

Q. What’s your recommendation to mums seeking to do extra each professionally and personally?

When you consider desirous to do one thing, my recommendation is to consider ‘why’ you need to do it. If the ‘why’ is evident, every part will fall in place.

Q. Favorite device that makes your life simpler?

My telephone! It’s my window to the world.

Q. Favorite quote

“Every now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and simply be joyful.”- Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet

Q. Neatest thing you’ve learn or watched these days

Ebook: Mindset by Carol Dweck. Extremely really helpful!

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If in case you have any extra questions for Pooja or need to join together with her for something, you possibly can attain right here by way of this text ( go away a remark beneath or e mail me and I’ll join you), or you could find her on her website or Linkedin; and you’ll take heed to her podcast Venture Spark, here.

That’s all for this week. Have a very good one!

Love,

Abha