Award winning blogger and editor, Nadine Hill writes at Juggle Mum and enjoys playing with words and images whilst teaching herself new skills.
A lover of cruises, bright colours and cheesecake, Nadine likes to organise things at home and have flowers on her desk. She enjoys posting to all her social media channels (links at the end) and is also the Editor of Britain’s leading network of lifestyle bloggers and social influencers, BritMums.
Describe a typical day for you?
The one constant to my days is that I’m never far from my planner. My routine is that I have no routine – each day is different, so I never know what day of the week it is automatically – I have to think about it! I How I stay organised however is that I follow my diary. If my diary says ‘exercise’ I do it. If it says ‘put the slow cooker on’, I do it.
I spend half an hour every few days to plan ahead the next 3-4 days of work and home tasks which is so worth it as it takes the guesswork out of my life! I know exactly what I’m up to because I have planned for it… But don’t let this extreme planning fool you. I’m not a robot and really need my down time and rest so I regularly make a date with myself to go to bed early with a book or my teenage daughter and I snuggle up in bed and watch box sets on Netflix. Sometimes, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than at home in my pyjamas!
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
I’ve had several moments that I look back and am really proud of. Getting my first book published was a big dream achieved, as was getting a ‘B’ grade in sociology at ‘A ‘ Level. When I got my acceptance letter to the London College of Fashion aged 17 it was a great day, as was being picked to be a contestant on The Wheel of Fortune (my first game show)!
My achievements used to be certain events in life but as I’ve gotten older I value that I have been self employed for a decade and not relied on one single company for my income.
I value that I have learned to support myself emotionally, protect my boundaries and respect my triggers so that I haven’t needed an anti-depressant for the past eight years and I value that without my beautiful children, I would have never created JuggleMum which has enriched my life in more ways than I can quantify.
I don’t just mean through receiving free products to review or holidays, but it has provided me with a creative outlet, a way to develop and nurture my burgeoning photography skills and something that is completely ‘mine’. JuggleMum is my freedom, the way I express myself and how I love to interact with the world.
What’s in your handbag?
My purse so I can pay for stuff, my planner so I know what I’m doing each day, my eye mask which reminds me to rest when I need to, a sequinned beret so I have something to protect my blow dry from damp weather, Clarins hand and nail cream (I love the smell!) and a reusable bag for life! I try to strike a balance between having whatever I may need to hand whilst keeping my bag as light as possible so it’s not a burden to carry!
What are your ambitions in life?
I want to continue to create my blog. JuggleMum is always such a happy and positive place. I feel that there can be a lot of negativity in the world, whether that’s hearing about what has happened on the news, or in general day to day life, and I prefer to remain in a ‘no drama zone’! I’m also a fan of girlie lunches and I’d love to meet some of my heroes for lunch one day. My dream gathering would be Karren Brady, Gala Darling, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Amanda de Cadenet and Davina McCall! Now I’ve put that out there, let’s see what happens! I believe in the law of attraction to manifest our desires!
What advice would you give your pre-baby self, that you now know, having had children?
There’s nothing more humbling and levelling than having children and I believe that we are all just doing the best we can. We shouldn’t judge each other because when you know better, you do better, so being a good example to others is a kinder way to lead the way than criticism. Looking back to my pre-baby self I didn’t quite realise how much energy it takes to raise a child, and how much I value my occasional solitude, so I could say that I’d have gotten myself into better habits such as early nights BEFORE I had kids. However on the other hand you can’t put an old head on young shoulders so it is what it is. I have learned now how to preserve my energy and recharge my batteries… after some rocky times when I had nothing left to give.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Still enjoying rocking my blog and living in the here and now. The one thing blogging has taught me is that you cannot predict when a fantastic email is going to land or when you will get an interesting invitation or opportunity to collaborate. I’d enjoy doing this interview again in 5 years to see exactly what happened in the interim… and if the face serum and night cream I’m using religiously since turning 40, are paying off!
What advice would you give a budding blogger/editor?
Blogging is a great way to find your voice and people respond to honesty, a genuine personality and the authentic. Therefore, admire other bloggers but don’t try to be a carbon copy of them, it never works. Be the best you that you can be and that is why people will come and read your blog.
If you are blogging for more brand opportunities, I’d also advise getting organised.
Plan out your blog posts in advance so you can take the time to get the right photography to go with the story or think of more tips to add into the post.
I can always tell when a blogger has ‘whipped off a quick post’ just to have something to publish, versus a more considered post that contains plenty of value.
Finally, happiness is…
A sunny day, a stocked kitchen, my children happily playing together and the luxury of having nowhere to be but right there.
Nadine loves connecting to people on social media, find her at:
Buy my bestselling book in paperback or audio
My debut book is my guide to surviving and thriving at work and at home and offers insight into how to create a digital business or return to work with confidence.
Mumboss: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(UK 2nd Edition)
Available on Amazon or Audible
The Working Mom: Your Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(US/Canada Edition)
Available September 8th 2020. Order now on Amazon
