Jacinda Ardern: The PM’s Secret to Staying Sane and Healthy

Jacinda Ardern: The PM’s Secret to Staying Sane and Healthy

In the midst of a relentless job, Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, finds a way to stay healthy and sane. Her mother worries more about the pressure than she does. Ardern shares with us her journey, her coping mechanisms, and how her daughter Neve is her best tonic.

The Unexpected Prime Minister

“Let’s have a cup of tea,” says Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand. “I’ll put the kettle on.” These are not the words I expected as we sat down to chat at her humble electorate office in Morningside, Auckland. But then, there’s a lot about our Prime Minister that is unexpected.

Ardern has led our country through one of the best Covid-19 responses in the world. She continues to manage her team of 5 million day in and day out, all while remaining healthy and composed. During the first frightening weeks of the pandemic, many wondered how she was coping. Is she okay? Is she sleeping? Is she eating well?

The Art of Relaxation

When I shared these thoughts with Jacinda, she gave me one of her trademark smiles. “It worries those around me more than it worries me, to be honest,” she says. “My mother and my sister worry about it more than I do. I’m one of those people who can’t relax if there’s other things I should be doing.”

For Ardern, relaxation comes in the form of her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Neve. “It’s not strictly relaxation time, but Neve doesn’t want to talk about my day, she doesn’t care about what I did at all,” she explains. Neve is a strong personality, not at all shy, and enjoys meeting new people.

The Normalcy of a Working Mother

Neve has never known her mother not to be the Prime Minister. Ardern is aware that for many, her role as a hard-working mother is still not normalized. Mothers who work outside the home are often asked how they are coping, yet men in the same position aren’t.

Ardern hopes we get to a place where it is normal, but she doesn’t get too defensive about it. She observes other ministers who have had children while she has been in Parliament and believes they are just as worthy of being asked how they are coping.

The Constant State of Exam Preparation

For Ardern, there is no chance to set boundaries or manage her job to ensure a work/life balance. When she finishes her day at the office and goes home, a bag will arrive at her door any time between 8.30pm and 10.30pm. “That’s what I need to get done for the next day and if I don’t get that one done, then the next night there are two,” she explains.

On the weekends, she gets what is called a “flight bag,” which needs her attention. “It’s a bit like when you’re a student and you’ve got exams – you’re in a constant state of exam preparation, so there’s not a lot of opportunity to create ‘me’ time,” she says.

Coping Strategies

Many women who work hard have coping strategies to deal with their stress. For Ardern, it’s about finding time alone. “On election day, I’m not allowed to do anything – it’s like running a marathon and then just stopping. Last year, we had booked a space near the venue for election night so that I could go there to sleep because it would be late and I didn’t want to wake Neve after the result came through,” she recalls.

She went there early, on her own, to write her speech. “And then I realized that for the first time in a long time I was by myself. I wrote my speech and then I thought: ‘I’m just going to lie down here for a little bit and be alone.’ It was so amazing.”

Nourishing the Body and Soul

We then moved on to how the PM nourishes herself. Ardern’s approach to self-care is as practical and down-to-earth as she is. She doesn’t have time for elaborate routines or retreats. Instead, she finds small moments of solitude and simple pleasures, like a cup of tea, to recharge and keep going.