Business powerhouse and longstanding Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden has a busy schedule, from filming commitments to advising her varied portfolio of investments, but she describes herself as “the least worried and stressed person” she knows.The secret behind this zen? Walking barefoot in the garden every morning, of course.“I start every day barefoot in the garden, just to connect with nature,” says the 66-year-old businesswoman, who lives in Somerset with her husband, Paul Farmer, and her many animal friends. “It’s not just about the fact I’m standing on the earth, it’s the time that I take to sort of breathe in and think, right, I’m going to start my day in the open air and connected to the earth. As soon as I touch the grass, it’s like, okay, everything’s all right.
“That used to be thought of as very hippie and well, you know, call me hippie, if you like – but not many people would,” she jokes. “But, I know that it makes me better at what I do because it sets me up well for the day.”
The successful entrepreneur acknowledges that slowing down and being present requires a level of discipline which can be difficult for many, but regularly encourages other business owners to give it a go.
“For a lot of people in small businesses, I see it in their face. They’re just doing too much, because they fear that if they stop everything will fall in on them,” reflects Meaden. “But, you cannot keep yourself at peak fitness at all times. You have to manage your business and your mental fitness, because there are times when you’ve got to bring your full game. It’s like being an athlete. Athletes don’t keep themselves Olympic fit all the time, they work towards it.”
Spending time in nature helps enhance her productivity at work, explains the entrepreneur.
“Personally, I use nature as a resource. I know when I need to be in it. I know when I need fresh air,” shares Meaden. “I know when I need to walk away from my desk and just go out there and stand under a tree, and I know that when I come back from that, I’m going to be better.“I’m incredibly busy, but I am the least worried and stressed person I know, and I think it’s because I manage my time and I value the time that I spend outside being still in nature.”
If you are dying to pick the sustainable advocate’s brain about a new venture before midday, forget it. Mornings are for riding along Somerset’s luscious rural landscape. “I’m quite happy to work until two o’clock in the morning or whatever, that doesn’t matter, but don’t put anything in my diary before midday,” says the British businesswoman. “Now, it doesn’t always work, because sometimes something has to happen in the morning…but I have rules so I know I am going to get that time to ride and I don’t feel guilty about it.
“When people take time out of what they consider as their working hours, they often feel guilty. I don’t feel an ounce of guilt, because I know full well that it’s going to make me much more efficient, a much better decision maker and a much nicer person to be around. I can be much more helpful when I’ve got my balance right. So, I work on keeping my balance right.”
The animal lover and nature enthusiast also adds that she would take a morning of riding soaking up Somerset’s rolling hills over a celebrity red carpet any day of the week.
“I’ve been to the BAFTAs and done all that glamorous stuff, but I get those moments when I’m out riding in the countryside, looking across the rolling hills, and think it doesn’t get better than this,” she shares. “Mental health isn’t just about I’m feeling sad, I want to feel better. Mental health has to be maintained and actually, those feelings of joy and being able to recall those moments that made you feel really, really good, that’s all part of it.”
So, when the sustainability advocate learned about a new app called Wildling, designed to connect people with nature in a free, easy, and accessible way, she knew it was something she wanted to be a part of.
Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and Forestry England, Wildling brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.
“It’s delivering nature in a very modern way, and the way that we actually live at the moment. We want our answers really quickly, and because it’s geo-located, you don’t have to troll through a load of stuff,” explains Meaden. “I could just say, all right, I’m here, what’s around me? So, it makes nature really easy to access.”
Wildling, which launched on July 9, features more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines to woodlands to nature reserves. The app outlines what facilities each location has to offer and even provides tips on what to do once you get there.
“I did a little video for the launch, and we literally turned 50 yards off a road, and we were in the middle of a heronry. We could have been in the middle of nowhere,” says Meaden, who is a sustainability ambassador for Wildling. “Nature is amazing and give it the tiniest bit of space and it will come in. Just stand under a tree for five minutes, it makes you feel a lot better. It’s extraordinary.”
The brand-new, free Wildling app is available on the App Store and Google Play, with the aim of enabling unlimited access into nature at just the touch of a button.
