When Akec Makur Chuot is not on the field for the Hawthorn AFLW, her days are filled with volunteering, studying, running a business, making media appearances and more.
While it's a lot to juggle, Akec views her busyness as a privilege.
"I grew up in a refugee camp, and when I'm doing advocacy work for organisations like Plan International and UNHCR for Australia it reminds me of where I was 18 years ago. It energises me on busy days," she says.
Akec lives in Naarm/Melbourne and shares how she finds moments to decompress as she prepares to retire at the end of the AFLW season.
Unwind with… is a weekly column that explores the simple ways people take care of themselves.
My favourite way to unwind is…
Even though I'm busy, anyone who knows me knows I'm also the couch potato queen!
There are some days I just sit on the couch and watch TV, and I don't feel bad about it because I know how busy my life is — I enjoy that downtime and take it with two hands.
I'm a big fan of Youtube music videos, comedies, David Attenborough documentaries, and a Nigerian series called Jenifa's Diary — I'm one of those people who once I start something, I binge-watch it.
Something I love to do for fun…
Because of my schedule, I love friends that can be spontaneous and flexible. I don't drink, but I'm a party girl. I like going to dinner with friends and catching up. I've been doing a lot of restaurant reviews of late, which has been fun.
Something I do that makes me feel grounded is…
The first thing I do when I wake up is brush my teeth. I grew up in a South Sudanese household where we just brushed our teeth first [thing] and when I moved to Australia it was a very foreign concept to me to eat before brushing your teeth! So I brush my teeth first and then I put on my kettle and make a cup of tea.
I'm currently loving…
I've really been enjoying reading — recently Jay Shetty's book Think Like A Monk, Maya Angelou's Heart of a Woman, and The Power of Real Confidence by Michelle Sales.
My approach to connecting with others…
I created a WhatsApp family group chat because I was missing out on birthdays and different moments because of my schedule and living far away. It's been the best thing because now my siblings send me videos of my nieces and nephews. Just those small things help you stay connected.
My go-to lazy meal is…
I love making sukuma wiki. It's made with Chinese broccoli, onion, garlic, spices, tomatoes, and you can either use lamb or beef. It's simple to make and so delicious. You can eat it with injera, asida or rice.
To unwind in the evening, I…
I'm not as much of a spring chicken as I used to be, so I really try to emphasise good sleep. My days tend to change a lot, so the one thing that helps me with sleep is playing some meditation music for an hour or so. By the time it's stopped I'm already fast asleep.
To switch off digitally, I…
I switch off when I play football. I leave my phone in the locker just after lunch and won't have access to it until the evening. There are also days I might be on my feet, so I'll hardly check social media, but it has become part of my job and I've been pretty good at understanding how to navigate it and how to use it to my advantage.
A piece of advice I often turn to…
I used to overcommit to so many things, and an analogy that I found helpful is that our energy is like a car: if we don't use the right fuel we can burn out. So I'm no longer a "yes woman" — I know my boundaries and how to say no, so I can have space for projects I'm passionate about. It also helps to redirect certain tasks and delegate things.
Unwind with… is produced by Madeleine Dore, a writer, interviewer and author of I Didn't Do The Thing Today.
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