Wellness and creativity are on the rise, everything from daily workouts to handmade gifts and cards are helping you to relax and unwind.
We spoke to Pavan Dhanjal, Founder of Pavan Henna, on how she is coping in isolation, her working routine and keeping mentally healthy during lockdown.
“Being on lockdown has certainly made a big change to my lifestyle, and its definitely made me appreciate the things I wouldn’t normally pay much attention to. Enjoying time at home, cooking, reading all of a sudden don’t seem like chores and having to find time to cram these in, I’m taking the time to enjoy these little things. My daily routine is now more structured, believe it or not! I realise a lot of my work can be done at home, I’m saving time (and money) but focusing on what needs to get done, and I’m getting to live the lifestyle I would always talk about but never had time to implement. Lockdown isn’t ideal of course but its made me realise that I can get all the things I want done in my daily routine if I just allocate the time and cut out the b*llsh*t – for want of a better word! We can sometimes fill our time with nothing, and I’ve realised I did that unknowingly.”
Pavan Dhanjal is the founder of Pavan Henna Bar, she first created decorative henna designs at a family wedding. Then was instantly hooked, intent on being the best possible practitioner of her chosen art form and determined to develop a unique style, with a flair unavailable elsewhere. As demand for her skills rose, and after a Guinness World Record breaking win in 2012 (she completed 512 unique armbands in an hour, smashing her 2009 record), Pavan was asked to open a popup henna bar in Topshop’s flagship Oxford Circus Store. It launched to rapturous acclaim and was a sellout success. In June 2018 Pavan was awarded a British Empire Medal for Services to Beauty.
Pavan continues “My tip for working from home and being productive is to have a list, I love a list! I have it prepared the night before to make sure I get what I need done on that list, the satisfaction of ticking those off is the best! I even have what I’m going to cook on the list as well as work tasks, and I manage to bite size them and get all of them done, it takes out the thought of being overwhelmed and really helps me to prioritise. Meditating is my new thing – for mental health and wellbeing during isolation, this has been key in keeping me focused and at peace. It’s easier than I thought, it’s for five minutes a day and I love it, it’s integral to gain clarity. Also reading, I have a reading list I’m getting through which is serving me so well, I feel like I can take on anything!”
As a great tool for de-stressing Pavan created a specialised kit to show people how to perform henna. Find out more about her current online courses on her website, and check out some great henna techniques and designs on her Instagram, @pavanhenna.
“It makes me so happy to share my relief, even if it helps one person, that’s enough” – Dhanjal
