Striking a healthy balance in your daily routine is easier said than done. What happens when you’re expected to juggle a host of demands from different aspects of your life on a daily basis? The word healthy balance begins to sound foreign. But is it possible? We caught up with Freda Obeng-Ampofo, founder of the personal care products brand, KAEME, to see how she does it.
Name: Freda Obeng-Ampofo
City/Country: Accra, Ghana
Company: KAEME
Title: Chief Mixer
Other roles played:
I consider myself one of KAEME’s utility players. As long as there are customers to be served, I’m more than game to get work done.
Describe your mornings, from when you wake up to when work begins:
I like to start my day with some quiet reflection. There’s no particular formula, but I find that taking a few minutes to connect with God or express gratitude really sets me up for a good morning. I‘m married with two toddlers, and my husband and I have worked out a routine to get us all ready for the day (with as little chaos as possible). It’s far from perfect — the little humans sometimes flex some muscle to show us that we only think we’re in charge — but it allows the school run and work commute to happen on time.
It’s also very important to me to be on the same page with my team, so I check in with them in the morning to make sure we’re on track, identify who needs support and set our day up for success.
What happens when work ends?
Sometimes, I take the kids and our dog on an early evening walk to get some exercise. Dinnertime is when I catch up on the highlights of everyone’s day, and my husband and I tag team to handle homework and bedtime supervision. I’m a big foodie, so weekends are when I like to try new recipes or cook something extra special.
Nighttime routine:
I keep it very simple: I cleanse with KAEME black soap and lightly moisturize with KAEME shea soufflé.
What is self-care to you?
Self-care is recognizing that I can only give my best when I am at my best. For me, that means striking a healthy balance between taking care of myself and being present for the people and things I am responsible for.
Favorite self-care hacks:
I think everything’s better with a cup of tea, so I always have that on hand. I also love Ghana’s beaches, so I try to get out of Accra whenever I can to visit some of my favourite spots.
Favorite guilty pleasure:
I love chocolate and pastries, and when they’re together, even better!