MODERN PRIORITIES: JEN KLUCZKOWSKI OF MINDFRESH
It's never been as empowering to be a woman– but it's also never been as complicated. The modern, connected woman carries with her plenty of expectations. In this blog series, we take a peek into the digital habits and modern priorities of some of the power women we admire. They show us it's possible to do it all, live well and inspire others everyday.
Jen Kluczkowski is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mindfresh, a mindfulness movement designed for environments such as the workplace. Jen is a go-getter by nature. She realised that a universal problem in the corporate world was the amount of long hours sitting in uncomfortable positions and dealing with stressful situations. Her solution was to create a program of yoga-like movements and breathing exercises to combat these obstacles and increase productivity throughout the day.
What does your morning ritual look like?
I try to always start my day cuddling with my husband, even if it's just for a few moments. Before hopping in the shower, I make sure I've got classical music playing in the bathroom - it starts my day off in the right tempo.
If I don't have a breakfast meeting to jet to (I like to chat over coffee), I make a simple, quick breakfast of fruit and coconut yogurt at home. I meditate before opening up a laptop, but that can take different forms depending on my schedule. Sometimes the form is seated and sometimes it's a walking meditation. I also love to chant Sanskrit mantras, so it's possible you see me walking down the street singing all the way to my meeting. Chanting, for me, is sometimes more effective at quieting my mind than sitting still.
What apps or tools do you use to help you be on your A-game?
Our team has found Slack to be a very helpful tool, but that's about it in terms of apps. We're fans of leveraging technology where appropriate, but also creating space from it where possible.
3 top tips for preparing for a busy day ahead?
Create mental space via a form of meditation, do this multiple times throughout the day - just focusing on your breath with closed eyes for even a few moments hits the reset button, and commit to doing the best you possibly can every day - that doesn't always mean you complete every task on your list, but it's a constant reminder that only so much is within our control.
How do you make time to switch off from technology?
For now, my yoga asana practice and meditation practices are ways I create space. I also like to read a few verses from a yogic text, like The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, when I feel disconnected from reality.
How has social media helped you in your career?
Still trying to figure it out! I know it serves a great purpose and that it can be very useful in building personal and company brands. That said, something in me resists it. I use it, but not as smartly as I could be.
Do you feel like you portray who you really are online?
I try to. I'm not typically posting on the days I feel hopeless, lost or like a failure, but I may write a blog post a few days later about how I used the practices of yoga to turn myself around - that's my way of being real and vulnerable.
What does the term 'digital balance' mean to you?
It's something I strive towards by means of constant awareness. I find that I have to really pay attention to not pick up my device when I'm waiting in a restaurant for a friend. My habit is to reach for the device, unconsciously, to distract myself from reality at hand.
Digital balance means waking up to the beauty in the world that surrounds you in each moment - sometimes a device is required, but often, it's not. Finding digital balance can be part of our path to enlightenment :)
