Finding your MOJO Again

November 8, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Marjon Meyer

Are you feeling drained and lost your spark? When exhaustion, anxiety, and stress consume you, losing your MOJO can feel inevitable. However, reclaiming your vitality and enthusiasm is within reach. Begin by acknowledging your emotional state and granting yourself permission to rest. Allow your mind and body to recharge with rejuvenating activities. Reconnect with nature, whether a serene walk or simply gazing at the sky. Nourish your body with wholesome foods, hydrate with intention, and prioritise sleep. Revisit your goals and the progress you have made to achieve your important milestones.

Burnout - is it real?

October 12, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

Burnout is now a buzzword but what is it actually? My philosophy is that if you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life and you will never have burnout. Burnout to me is not being able to cope with your workload. Why don’t people cope?

10 Questions to Harmonise Work, Life, and Time - Part 2

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

The real way to harmony is to interrupt the inner conflict between how you would like to spend your time and how you think you should be spending it. I am not here to provide a magic formula to create harmony with how you divide your time. However, I can gift you ten questions from Oliver Burkeman's book, Four Thousand Weeks, which provide some thought-provoking questions to help you determine what matters for you now. I say now because these choices will ultimately change based on life stage, circumstances and values, which are constantly evolving.

10 Questions to Harmonise Work, Life, and Time - Part 1

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Consider how you feel when you perceive that you have wasted your time versus used it efficiently; it's not really about the quantity of time available but the choices you make on how to invest it that create the illusion of harmony. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even when you enjoy what you're doing, you may feel guilty because you feel like you should be working on something else.

Don't Let Burnout Sneak Up On You

October 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Cheryl Benadie

It's a brand new day. You've snoozed the alarm at least three times (if you're that kind of morning person) and dragged yourself into the shower. Before you can barely grasp the soap, a deluge of your undone action lists stream into your consciousness. A slow mumble begins to build in your mind about how you wish you were headed to a beach instead of having to brace yourself for the traffic and yet another miserable day of chasing a never-ending task list.

To feed your dream or to feed your children?

January 26, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Tshego Dludla

Being a visionary is an amazing thing. Having a dream and wanting to see it through might set your soul on fire but the process is not always linear and simple. More often than not, it is an uphill battle with many tough moments and sacrifices. The highs are high, and the lows are really low. At times you must invest all your time, energy, and resources into seeing your vision to fruition. As a mother, your life doesn’t start and end at the office. You have at least two main jobs and your beloved children are the most important thing to you.

Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship

July 31, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Tshego Dludla

I love how people make being a boss lady and a mom look so glamorous, don’t you? They have routines that they stick to religiously. They have children who have tight schedules and nap times that they never miss. Oh and my personal favourite, they take lovely family vacations at the drop of a hat. Not to mention the exercise, healthy eating, plenty of self-care, hair and nails freshly done and on it goes. I mean they own their time right…WRONG!

‘Me time’ is NOT a waste of time…

July 22, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

“You notice a lot of small things when sitting having an early morning coffee, watching the world go by…” and as so often is the case as we open our emails at the start of yet another busy day, we are greeted by Melanie beginning her essential guides to business, life and the Universe in her Good Morning Lioness daily blog, with a serious hint.

Dear Entrepreneur, you can take a day off

May 22, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

Many of my peers struggle with taking a day off. There are many reasons why, but it’s taboo to just not work for 24 hours. We fail. Especially in an era where all communication is tied to the phone, we keep it with us every minute of the day. You would have to switch it off the entire day to have a day off. And then, find a way to switch off your brain. Then, you need a day or two to actually get over the constant anxiety of wondering how it is really going without you!

Out-of-Office ON: This holiday season, will you leave by example?

December 19, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Anja van Beek

Enough has been said about the impact of the pandemic, burn-out and the “always-on” culture. We all had to unlearn things, adjust to working whilst being at home (and home-schooling kids), adapting to virtual ways of collaboration and using new technologies. In such a technology world, not all of us have mastered the skill (yes, I said skill) to switch off from work. Most of us will take a few days to really relax and ironically, this is generally the time most will go back to work. For some, it is especially difficult to switch off if your colleagues or manager, in other areas of the world, continue to work while you are on your holiday.

Up at 3

November 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

It is 5 minutes to 3am and I’m up. I have taken a shower; made tea and I am writing. Not one thing seems wrong with all of it, I am happy in this moment. I have trained my brain to believe that somewhere in the world it is midday, and they are making lunch! The only reason it is night is because the sun is on the other side, so honestly it could be day here too now…no? Ok, fine, you may sleep but let me be.

Working Moms’ Unite!

November 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu-Tapula

I started the Working Moms’ Club after I had my first baby. It was 11 months after I gave birth. I was doing it, I was a Mom to this incredible human, and I had a tribe of women to thank for my sanity. I had support and advice from loving women who wanted me to thrive. Motherhood felt like second nature and as much I was born to do this, without my tribe, it sure was going to be tougher.

The Nanny Saga

October 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

A few years ago, I told my friends I would never have a live-in nanny in my house, and it made sense then. I didn’t need a live-in nanny! We had a lady who came in once every 2 weeks to do our laundry, which eventually became every week as I got busier. Also, the laundry became the entire house very fast, because honestly, I don’t want to wash dishes after stitching dresses and having fittings with different clients.

Stop Calling Motherhood a Full-Time Job!

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu-Tapula

Motherhood is not a full-time job, and it is not a job, period. I often hear and read people calling Motherhood a job and I get really offended. I get offended because I wish it were, but it is not, okay? It is not!

Ways to Develop Accountability in Your Wellness Journey

April 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Emily Kandanga

We are a sum of all of our habits. Habits run our lives. Who we are and what we can accomplish are largely dependent on our daily routines and behaviours. You are either getting better and working towards becoming your best self or you’re moving in the opposite direction.

Are your lack of boundaries between work and life getting worse?

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

“Your job isn’t to get people to like you but for you to like yourself” - RuPaul

In an article on CNBC.com, a survey showed that 69%, of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working from home. Despite work burnout, the majority (59%) are taking less time off than they normally would, and 42% of those still working from home are not planning to take any time off to decompress.

Edna Reis, an entrepreneur passionate about active wellness in Angola

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Edna Reis, founder of Active Wellness (Angola)

Startup Story

Companies and organizations know that their strength lies in their people, and it’s why employee wellbeing is key to their success. Helping employees to avoid burnout and ensuring they have support in managing their mental and physical balance is important. In Angola, entrepreneur Edna Reis, founder of Active Wellness, has created a business to meet this growing demand for better health and wellbeing in the workplace.

What really matters?

December 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Jess Mostert

Life has a funny way of keeping us extremely busy and, in doing so, distracting us from what really matters. How many times do you find yourself wishing the week away, just to get to that weekend? Or wishing the weeks away to get to that long-awaited trip? Or even wishing the months away to our favourite time of the year- Christmas! All while missing the moments in between - missing the moments that really matter and count.

Leavism: In the hybrid working world, don’t let your work hi-jack your holiday

December 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Anja van Beek, Talent Strategist, Leadership Expert and Executive Coach

Leavism is a real trend, and a concerning one. As we are approaching summer holidays in the Southern hemisphere, I can’t help but think about employees not intentionally switching off from work during their well-deserved holiday – especially after such a different year like 2020.

Let’s talk boundaries: When all work and no play leads to burn-out

December 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Anja van Beek, Talent Strategist, Leadership Expert and Executive Coach

I love this quote: “Balance is not better TIME management, but better BOUNDARY management?” Have you ever calculated how many of your 24hrs you are in “work-mode” – whether thinking, doing, or responding to a quick mail at a family braai?

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