Burnout, especially at workplaces, has been a subject of grave concern for most professionals. Maintaining the finite balance between personal and professional life has become tedious yet a must to strike. Kunal Sharma, the head of marketing & business head, modern trade and e-commerce, KRBL, believes in setting clear boundaries, focusing on high-priority tasks, and delegating work that helps his team to feel empowered and also ensures effective time management.
In a conversation with Storyboard18, Sharma said, “Reflection, meditation, and mindfulness play a significant role in preventing burnout. I also take short breaks throughout the day, which helps in recovery and sleep. This keeps me productive and motivated.”
Edited excerpts of the interview:
If you can list five of your favourite quotes on marketing and leadership?
Some of my favourite quotes stem from different segments of leadership that I’ve been inspired by. One of them is “Content is king”, which is an essay written by Bill Gates, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microsoft. The quote is becoming increasingly more relevant.
The second quote is by English-American author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek who said, “The greatest contribution of a leader is to make other leaders.”
Industrialist and philanthropist JRD Tata said, “Uncommon thinkers reuse what common thinkers refuse.”
I’ve also been a follower of cricket during my youth and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar is one of the inspiring figures I look up to. He said, “People throw stones at you, and you convert them into milestones.” As an individual and as a team leader, I think it’s very pertinent.
I’m inspired by German physicist Albert Einstein. He said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.” He also said, “The most important thing is not to stop questioning.”
In your free time, what kind of marketing-related content do you consume?
I’m an avid reader. I consume a lot of books on marketing and consumer behaviour. I follow a lot of industry articles and blogs. LinkedIn has become a very apt place, where one can read a lot of content. I also consume content from HBR (Harvard Business Review) or Marketing Week.
I focus on understanding brand campaigns and case studies in a bid to understand the brands’ challenges and how they have navigated them. This, in turn, inspires my professional pursuits.
Webinars and podcasts have become an information source for marketers. Some of the podcasts like the Marketing Book Podcast, and Masters of Scale are both informative and inspirational for marketers.
If you look at social media, there’s a diverse range on the platter of what’s happening in the marketing field.
Where do you get your social media mix from?
I spend quite a bit of time on LinkedIn because the platform provides a good opportunity to engage with thought leaders. People also put out their thoughts, and it’s a source of great inspiration for professionals. Instagram and YouTube are also becoming another source of inspiration because we come across a lot of not-so celebrated work on these platforms.
What were the last five videos you viewed on any social platform?
One was a video by Amul India’s managing director (MD) Jayen Mehta, where he spoke about the power of brand consistency, how they amplify their ideas by being present across less than 100 billboards in India and how they can scale up.
The other one was Spotify’s new campaign with Bollywood actors Jackie Shroff and Ananya Pandey in a role reversal. I also find inspiration in the way celebrities are being used in branding exercises.
Cadbury’s Five Star and conversations around artificial intelligence (AI), where they’ve built a campaign around making AI mediocre. This is a hilarious take on “do nothing”, but it still manages to convey a deep message.
BellaVita’s campaign was around “Deo Bachche Lagate Hai,” which positioned perfumes as the adult’s choice but used celebrities in creative ways.
Who are your favourite creators and what draws you to them?
I follow Sinek a lot for his quotes on leadership and the purpose of marketing. I follow American author Seth Godin for his approach to marketing, which is plain, simple and fundamental.
I follow the podcast of Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as @beerbiceps. I also admire the content media personality Kusha Kapila creates.
I’ve always been a fan of cricket, and I follow broadcaster Harsha Bhogle. I try to keep my viewing diverse so that I can seek inspiration from different aspects of life.
What is your sport/fitness or well-being routine like
I’m a gym enthusiast. I follow a consistent workout regime which is strength training, and cardio, which helps me to stay fit and energised. I hit the gym five days a week for about 45 minutes to an hour every day after dropping my daughters off to school. I try to maintain my fitness regimen even when I’m travelling.
I take evening walks with my wife for 30 minutes to catch up with her and what’s happening in the family. Besides, 75 per cent of good health comes from a good diet. I try to maintain a balanced diet.
How does your routine weekend go?
My weekends are a balance of staying active and spending quality time with my family. Usually, I start my Saturdays with a workout, focus on strength training and cardio. Occasionally, I indulge in a game of squash or badminton and follow it up with a healthy breakfast with my family.
I cherish the moment I get to spend with my family — whether it’s a day out or watching a movie at night at home with my daughters or even a simple indoor game.
Sundays are dedicated to family and doing household chores. I also try to sneak in some time to reflect. Fitness, family bonding, and relaxation helps me recharge for the week ahead.
What have you been watching on weekends?
I recently watched the pan-Indian actor Dulquer Salmaan-starrer “Lucky Bhaskar”. The other film which I also watched was Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina-starrer “Jigra”.
Any work or life hack you swear by?
One that I religiously follow is the power of prioritisation. Both in my personal and professional life, I try to stay as organised as possible and focus on what truly matters to keep productivity and maintain balance. I set aside the initial hours of the day for some self-reflection before getting into my daily schedule or team meetings and reviews. This helps me make my day more productive.
What are you reading? Any recommendations?
I am reading a book called “Manifest”, which is seven steps to living your best life by author Roxie Nafousi. I’ve been a follower of “Manifest” as a technique and I’ve been actively using it in my life. I think it makes me feel more empowered and helps me be more in control of my life.
The last couple of books that I’ve read are “HeadStart”, which is by authors Vivek Gambhir and Sunder Ramachandran. It’s a fantastic read for new professionals setting sail on their journey as the duo defines mantras for unlocking career success.
The other book is “Go Further, Faster: Shaping a Life that Matters” by Lulu Raghavan, president APAC, Landor, which touches broadly on personal branding, holistic professional development and the importance of continuous growth.
What’s your advice to avoid personal and professional burnout?
It’s important to maintain a balance between work and personal life. I prioritise time for my family and health, making sure that I stay active. I engage in activities like spending time with my family or work out which recharges me.
Professionally, I believe in setting clear boundaries, managing my time effectively, focusing on high priority tasks, and delegating work. I think delegation is important as the team feels empowered and also helps me in effective time management.
Reflection, meditation, and mindfulness plays a significant role in preventing burnout. I also take short breaks throughout the day. It keeps me productive and motivated.
A piece of professional wisdom you would like to share with GenNext marketers?
Stay curious and keep listening to consumers. There’s so much noise around us and there is so much happening.
It’s easy for a marketer to lose focus and kind of get swayed by fads and trends. We’re all tempted to do what everybody’s doing and do great work there. But I think it’s important to keep the focus on the consumer, keep listening to them, keep going back to them and you’ll keep doing the right things.
What’s the best advice you’ve got or heard on life?
I’ve had a long career. One of the pieces of advice I got was from one of my professors, Dr. Gautam Sinha at a business school. It was a saying by St. Francis of Assisi, “God grants me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
This is what I’ve carried for the last 15 years and it has helped me a lot.
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