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Rupi Kaur on Her Self-care Non-negotiables and Fave Current Reads

Including her best productivity hack and more.
Rupi Kaur
September 27, 2022

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Skimm Her Life is a series in our weekly newsletter, Skimm Your Life, where smart women share their favorite products.

You’ve probably seen her moving and inspirational poetry in your Insta feed — and if you haven’t, you won’t regret giving Rupi Kaur a follow. Today, the poet, performer, artist, and New York Times bestselling author is here to Skimm Her Life and tell us all about her favorite self-care and productivity go-tos. Oh, and her new book, “Healing Through Words,” is out today too. Without further ado…

Something in my workspace that makes me happy…

Good stationery. I’m obsessed with pen and paper so I’m always collecting these items.

My favorite productivity hack…

I meditate before writing, and that always centers me and gets me focused for a good few hours. I also like to “pay myself” before I get to work so that I’m more motivated. My mornings are when I pay myself with self-care, good food, and coffee. I read — I don’t check work emails or messages. My team knows not to ask me any work-related questions until I’m officially on the clock, and I find that if I reward myself with this in the morning, I’m more motivated and dedicated to work the rest of the day.

What I read while writing my new book and what I’m reading now...

I’m currently reading “Dune” — I love sci-fi. While I was writing my upcoming book, I was reading a lot of memoirs (like “Educated” by Tara Westover) and nonfiction (“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert).

My self-care non-negotiables…

I’ve been getting better and creating blocks of time during the day to not think about or do any work — I need to protect myself and my mental wellbeing to be able to create quality work. Exercise really helps with my anxiety so I try to prioritize that. And therapy always helps.

Psst: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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