“New Year, New Plans” With Sarah Bagharib

Before we say thank you and goodbye to 2023, it’s time to get quiet, turn inwards and reflect on what the last 12 months have taught us about ourselves. We look back so we can move forward — with a little more wisdom, courage and clarity on how we can live better, happier in the next 12. With this in mind, we started this series, “New Year, New Plans”, and invited three individuals — an entrepreneur, a magazine editor-in-chief and a fibre artist — to share their 2023 reflections and 2024 intentions.

Hi Sarah, thank you for being part of our “New Year, New Plans” series. For the benefit of readers who are not yet familiar with you and your work, could you give us a short self-introduction please?

Sarah: Hi everyone! I’m Sarah, I’m the founder of Crazycat, which is a modern media company that supports everyday women’s well-being and personal growth through content, events, workshops and experiences. I’m also the host of the Nusantara Women Conversations podcast, an emcee, a PR and communications specialist and a mum to the sassiest four-year-old girl.

Can you give us an example of what a day in your life is like?

Sarah: My day usually starts with a morning prayer and intention setting, followed by settling my daughter in the morning, dropping her off in school and then work begins. As a solopreneur, every day is quite different as I manage all the different parts of my business – from creating digital content to organising events, business development and administrative work. Networking is also a big part of growing the business so that is something I do quite a bit in a week. I exercise at least three times a week. On those days, you'll find me at either a spin, yoga or pilates studio.

What is your way of organising your time that has proven to work well for your lifestyle / personality? For example, is it more important to see to everyday details or plan longer term with an overview of a week / month / the whole year?

Sarah: To be honest, I’ve been taking it a day at a time in the last year or so. I’ve been trying really hard to start and commit to a routine but a few different parts of my life have been a little less settled, including being at quite an uncomfortable stage of my business. I’m also in the midst of moving to a new home, after that I’m really hoping I’ll be able to create a new routine for myself. In the meantime, what I’ve been doing is to organise my time daily.

I start with a word dump, and list all the things I need to get done for the day. Then I organise them into hourly blocks on Google calendar and set an alarm for each task. I also make sure to include rest blocks for a few minutes to recover from each block or task before moving on to the next one.

How has the habit of planning and organising helped you in getting clarity, setting priorities, achieving what you set out to achieve, and in creating the life you want year by year?

Sarah: It has helped me quite a bit. Planning and organising has allowed me to create a sense of commitment. When I see my to-do list or my goals on paper and break them down into actionable steps, it motivates me to take those steps. They also provide a form of accountability as I hold myself to my plans. Having clear and specific goals defined gives me a roadmap for what I want to achieve in a day or a week, and provides clarity on the steps I need to take.

Do you have any personal tips or advice on effective planning / scheduling?

Sarah: Be kind and gracious to yourself – because no planning or scheduling will go perfectly and I think we shouldn’t beat ourselves up for it if we take a lot longer to complete a task, for example! So it’s always best to also overestimate the time needed to complete a task or leave some breathing spaces in between.

Let’s talk about journalling. In recent years, it has become an essential self-care / self-discovery tool. We’d love for you to share your personal experience with our readers. What got you started? How has it been beneficial for your emotional / mental / professional well-being? What is the journalling ritual / method you’ve cultivated like?

Sarah: I used to journal more consistently, to be honest. It’s definitely a ritual I’d like to get back into. What inspired me to start journalling was a book called “The Artists’ Way” by Julia Cameron. It encourages one to start the day by writing three morning pages without censoring yourself. So I used to write all my thoughts down first thing in the morning. This practice allowed me to clear my mind of worries, heaviness, anxiety and unpack them.

What is one of the biggest revelations or insights that journalling has brought you in 2023? What are you most grateful for?

Sarah: I think the biggest insight or revelation has been that I’ve been neglecting my heart. A lot of what I’ve been doing has been stemming from ego, and that was really uncomfortable to admit to myself. But self-awareness is a great first step towards growth and self-improvement. In 2024, I hope to cultivate a better relationship with my heart, and be more aligned with it in all that I do.

When there are actual wars happening around the world, it makes me extra grateful for the little things in life that I think I might have taking for granted: Safety, health, and my family.

Can you share one intention, goal, or resolution with us for 2024? What are you most looking forward to in the new year?

Sarah: I feel like I’ve been in limbo this year because we’re in the midst of moving into our new home, so I’m really looking forward to settling into our home in 2024, not just with my family but for myself to create a safe space where I can continue to grow myself and flourish. My goal and intention is to be able to show up as my full self and, as I said earlier, to keep centering my heart.

Finally, if you were to write a one-line note to yourself in the December 31 space in your new 2024 Planner, what would it be?

Sarah: “As long as I’m trying, I have arrived.”

Read more from Pakkee Tan and Alicia C Kirwan.

We would like to thank Sarah, Pakkee and Alicia for sharing their 2023 reflections, and intentions for the new year. #byndartisan #2024planner #somethingsworthsharing