From letting go of caring what others think to reading to prevent doom-scrolling, legal director and founder Thandi shares her priorities with us...

Welcome to MY PRIORITIES, where we invite game-changers and tastemakers to share what's important to them, in order to help us prioritise our own lives... This week we spoke with Thandi Maq, a commercial legal director and co-founder of the Lawyers' Dining Club. Originally from South Africa, Thandi now lives in London with her husband and young son.

What’s your top priority right now?

Rest, sleep and balance - the latter necessarily looks different depending on the stage of life I'm in.

How do you make sure you have time for what’s important to you?

As I’ve got older I’ve become more cautious with how I spend my time and energy. I’m quite disciplined about carving out time in the morning to ensure I get some sort of movement in – be it running, weights, yoga or walking. I find starting my day in this way sets the right tone for the rest of the day. 

What don’t you prioritise? i.e what couldn’t you care less about?

Spending far too much time thinking about what others think of me, of course it’s not something I can completely let go of but being less concerned about this frees up so much mental and emotional space which then allows me to focus on the things that make me happy and push me to succeed in various areas of life. 

"Being less concerned about what other's think of me frees up so much mental and emotional space"

Do you have a goal you’re working towards at the moment?

Can I mention sleep again? Lol! On a more serious note, we’re just about to embark on a reno project which I’m excited about and scared of in pretty much equal measure

Do you have a habit that’s changed your life?

More recently, reducing my coffee intake to only one per day, as trite as it sounds, improving water in-take and more broadly exercising has always been a game changer for me.

What brings you joy? 

Being at home with my family, sharing good food with friends, time to myself, reading and being in bed by 9pm, rare as that may be!

What fills you with a sense of purpose?

My desire to be the best I can be for myself and for my family. My son is a big driver here, I wouldn’t say he is my entire purpose because I don’t know how healthy that would be but he does have an incredible grounding effect on me.

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? 

Back yourself!

"I’ve always loved reading, which is a life saver because it leaves little time for doom scrolling"

How do you pick yourself up after a tough day?

Pulling back from social interaction and enjoying time at home which is a real place of solace for me. A long bath, a conversation with my husband and a really good glass of wine.

What’s your favourite way to practise self-care?

Movement and dedicated reading time. It seems so simple but these two things have such a profound effect on my wellbeing. I’ve always loved reading and on reflection I think this has been a life saver as it’s something I typically turn to, leaving little time for doom scrolling – which we’re all guilty of to some degree.

Do you have any sort of morning or evening routine?

My morning routine is largely driven by our son, he’s an early riser so we’ll bring him into our bed for a cuddle while we have a coffee in bed. My husband and I tag team in the mornings to give each other time and space to workout. I’ve recently decided to invest in the supplements I take, I felt like something was missing as I was across the exercise and skin health but I was missing the additive element of wellbeing from the inside. So I take them alongside breakfast which I can never miss out on.

DO YOU HAVE A BEAUTY OR HEALTH HACK? 

Sleep, water, silk pillowcase and SPF – the Beauty Pie Featherlight SPF is sensational! 

How do you stay organised? Journal, scraps of paper or e-diary? 

A combination of my online diary and a collection of physical post-it notes – I’m still very much into writing things down, the pen to paper connection really works for me.

FINALLY, PLEASE TELL US WHAT TO PRIORITISE...?

Eat: Gymkhana

Visit: Cape Town

Read: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 

Connect with Thandi on Instagram