Walpole: In a world where we’re always available, how do you separate your personal time from your work time?
Venetia Archer: I schedule time for contemplation and reflection. I walk to and from work, and I ensure I use this time to wind down from the working day.
What’s one thing you do after the workday to help you unwind?
I have a three-year-old and a new baby, so there’s not much time for unwinding! That said, I think reading is a gift, and it is one of my favourite things to do. I have a few books on rotation on my Kindle and I will always read at night – no matter how late it is.
What activity do you do in your time away from the office that helps you relax and recentre after a stressful week?
I will often spend a couple of hours on the weekend walking quietly with a podcast, which really helps to slow down my mind and to separate myself from my work. The weeks are frenetic with very little time for contemplation, so a few hours on my own always helps. Being a founder is all consuming and it runs in seasons. I try to appreciate the quieter periods as I know they don’t last very long.
What’s something you’ve read, listened to, or seen in your spare time that’s helped you at work?
I love taking inspiration from other entrepreneurs and hearing their stories, so will often have a podcast on the go. My favourites are How I Built This by Guy Raz, Reid Hoffman's Masters of Scale, and – beauty-specific – The Glossy Podcast.
After home and the office, where’s your favourite ‘third space’?
I love places where I feel truly anonymous. That’s why I love an airport and a hotel. One of my favourite places to go at the moment is The Peninsula London. If work is getting too hectic or stressful or I just need a moment of quiet, I will go and sit in its gorgeous lobby, order a tea and take a breath.
On Sunday night, how do you prepare yourself for the week ahead?
I’ll always ensure I have a view of the week ahead. I used to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday getting a head start on the week with my emails which worked well, however with two children that’s increasingly impossible. I make sure I am clear on the structure of the week and when I am out and about as this helps me to ensure that the week is organised efficiently. I hate wasting time getting from place to place, and so I take care that my scheduling has been thought through.
Best reason you've had to turn your Out of Office on recently?
Having a baby! My team were amazing and they took it upon themselves to take me off all the emails and set up new Slack channels because they knew I wouldn’t be able to resist checking in. I’m very grateful to them for that. I did think to myself that my email inbox was looking rather quiet!
