Photo Credit:- Ankur Sabharwal
Mitali Mukherjee, former News Anchor at CNBC-TV18 -India and now Editor & Co-Founder of the Moneymile, a digital platform looking to spread financial awareness; tells us how to strike a balance between work, family and taking those few minutes off to look as radiant as she does!
The Journey…
In the early years of my journalistic career, the hours were certainly long and grueling. I started off as a producer because I wanted to learn the craft of television before getting in front of a camera and anchoring. So, I’ve done things like spending 45 days shooting in a jungle in Belgaum , Karnataka with poor access to food, water or any other amenity !
Coping With Those Gruelling Hours …
While the hours were long and I had a very early start, I think the blessing was that they were aligned with my natural body clock. I am not a night owl, so staying up late is something I hate ! In that sense, waking up at 5am, being at work by 6am came more naturally to me .
Did it affect my personal life, certainly. There were numerous social occasions and celebrations where I was missing - either because I was travelling for work or because I was in office.
After Effect...
The effect of such long hours and so much makeup did show up on my skin . Over the years I developed deep dark circles around my eyes and that’s been a legacy of sorts for the early morning starts and high stress levels that a TV News career always comes with.
With people in the performing arts, there are periods when you’re not shooting or performing and your hair and skin gets some down time. But with TV and news, you’re doing this everyday so the pressure is relentless, on you and your body
More than my skin, I definitely think the schedule has taken a toll on my hair. High heat and daily styling, pulling, straightening has made my hair more brittle and thinner. As for my skin, the dark circles are a permanent reminder now of very long hours :)
The Great Indian Juggle..
I think I’m in a great rhythm now because I feel like I get the time to enjoy and absorb every experience my day has to offer .
So, mornings are still early starts because of my kids . And the first few hours are pretty “go -go” as my husband and I get the kids ready for school, tiffins, other mini -crises that almost always erupt before 8am ! Exercise is super important for both of us (my husband and I) , so we either go in turns or try and catch a workout together. I have a great yoga instructor and I try and attend as many classes as I can in a week.
Now the day is usually carefully planned ( since there are so many moving parts !) and divided between work engagements, time with the kids and other things.
Skincare Routine With The Day In Full Throttle?
My mother is a big believer in natural stuff and so thanks to her I slap a lot of stuff on my face that comes out from my refrigerator!
So, milk, yoghurt, honey, turmeric, orange rind, besan - I think these are all fantastic ingredients for your skin and I really urge people to use this stuff . It’s natural, it’s not expensive or difficult to access and so many of these “home-remedies” are rooted in our climate, our skin type and really work well for Indian women.
Also pure coconut oil — it’s one of the best things you can use on your face especially while removing the thick makeup that tends to get applied on for TV or film
As A Consumer…
For my OTC fix, I love the facial mist by Forest Essentials and I’m a big fan of Clinique. Some of the other brands I use and like, especially with regard to make up are Bobby Brown and Shiseido.
A Simple Wise Tip ...
If you’re choosing between a job where you can learn a lot versus a job that pays you more, pick the job where you will learn. It may seem tough at first and make for some very hard days at work but it will make you really sound at your work and when you do move on, what you learnt is what will carry you through for your future endeavors.