Scottish entrepreneur Michelle Mone is an inspiration to many women.
But it took many years for the businesswoman, who launched lingerie company Ultimo at the age of 25, to learn how to achieve the perfect work-life balance.
Working tirelessly to build her brand, she soon ran herself into the ground and felt miserable because she was so overweight and unhealthy.
However, the successful businesswoman was given a new lease of life when she turned her life around and focused on getting fit and healthy.
She has now revealed how working out helped her boost her confidence and perform better in her business.
Michelle Mone’s exercise secrets
Michelle says she’s been spending more time working out with her husband Doug Barrowman who she tied the knot with in November last year.
The couple spend around an hour each day walking near their home on the Isle of Man with their three dogs.
“It was only during lockdown I started working out a lot more and actually working out with my husband Doug as well,” she said.
“I would just go out with my husband in the garden. You don’t need lots of money to do that you just need two mats, a ball and some dumbbells.
“It’s been great fun and now I’ve got three puppies and they want walking constantly.
“They’ve been great for my jean size, keeping the weight off.”
‘I just decided I needed to make a difference’
Michelle, who was made a Conservative life peer in 2015, has been working hard to get fit and healthy over the past decade.
After launching the Ultimo lingerie brand in 1996, she spent many hours at work to build on her success but admits feeling unhappy.
Photo shoots with top models working for her made her realise she was not comfortable in herself.
“I was working with some of the most famous women in the world who were the same age as me, some of them were younger of course, and I would look at them on the beach in Miami then look at myself, a miserable, overworked, overweight size 22 and just felt really down and low about it,” she said.
“I just decided I need to make a difference. As the years have gone on and I’ve got older I look after myself a lot more.
“I hated myself back then, but I think you’ve got to love who you are and be comfortable with who you are.”
But Michelle now makes sure she spends time looking after herself and realises exercise even helps her business.
“It’s a completely different age we’re in now,” she said. “I didn’t know back then when I had Ultimo that it’s good to work out for an hour because you will actually perform better, it’s better for your mental health and your fitness and wellbeing.
“As I got healthier, fitter and trimmer I performed so much better in business as well because I was more confident.
“When you start to doubt yourself, others around you doubt you too. Now I’m, not in a big headed way, just so comfortable being me.”
How her healthy lifestyle has influenced her business
Eating healthily and exercising regularly is now important to Michelle and it has even influenced her business decisions.
It encouraged her to open up a new flexible working office with her husband at the former Riverside House on Riverside Drive, Aberdeen.
Michelle’s tips for dealing with stress
Michelle recommends using a notepad to set yourself goals, even writing down what you want to achieve each week.
She also advises to keep focused and determined on achieving your goals.
“When you open your eyes in the morning give yourself an hour in the day for yourself,” she said. “We’re all so busy doing so many things for other people.”
“I think we’ve got to all just think we are living and life is so precious. Life is so short but just try to enjoy your life.
“The saying is the harder you work, the luckier you get and I do believe in that. If you sit around moping you’re never going to be happy.
“You’re never going to get out of the situation that you’re in.”
For more information on Baroness Mone’s latest venture, please visit www.neo-space.com