How Aparna Shah is encouraging mindful living through her Eat Play Read NGO

Aparna Shah, an accomplished entrepreneur and founder of Eat Play Read, is redefining wellness by blending lifestyle, learning, and self-care into a holistic approach to modern living. With roots in the demanding automobile industry, she has mastered the art of balancing leadership with mindfulness, proving that success is not just about business milestones but also about nurturing mental, emotional, and physical health. In this conversation with Hello Entrepreneurs, she opens up about her philosophy of mindful living, her NGO’s mission, and the habits she believes can help professionals thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

1.What sparked your journey into the automobile industry, and how have you balanced high-pressure leadership with personal wellness over the years?

I was struggling to figure out my career in my early days. But one thing was very clear, that whichever field I choose, I shall be master in it. My father made this path easy, as he was working with the Mahindra and Mahindra tractor division.

One fine day, he bought a small model of a tractor at home. For hours, I was staring at it and thinking helpful this is for us.
Automobiles provide a vehicle for quick transportation of goods and services. You name the mode, and we have a custom solution for it-car, motorcycles, buses, multi-utility vehicles, commercial vehicles like trucks and buses have really made our life easy.

I didn’t know that I’ll come this far but somewhere I had dream that this should be my choice of career. Purchasing a vehicle is a dream for every person and this was a big thing for me.
Throughout my career I have handled so many situations which revealed a proper mindset to achieve my goal. I never left my true character, I have maintained a healthy company culture by keeping myself balanced with physical, emotional, spiritual, mental and intellectual health, maintaining it consistently and social health also played a vital role in it as I believe connecting people plays an important role in our life.

2. With Eat Play Read, you’ve brought together elements of lifestyle, learning, and self-care, how do you define wellness in today’s fast-paced entrepreneurial world?

For me, wellness is a moment to change our daily habits with an aim to maintain a healthy lifestyle every day consistently. We can achieve this only when everybody working and living with us remains healthy.
Though our lives today revolve around our cellphones, laptops and tablets, we are now spending more time with our gadgets than making meaningful connections.

I’m not saying that using digital tools is wrong, but we have to use it sensibly. We have to teach the next generation to depend on human connections to express your feelings-sadness, depression or if anything is upsetting you. Just googling around or playing online games is not going make you feel better. For me, human connections, where your family, your friends are equally important because their experiences count rather than just collecting the information of how to be happy, be happy with your people.

3. What role do health and mindfulness practices play in your daily routine, especially as a leader managing multiple businesses?
See, when it comes to managing multiple businesses, I have to be 100% alert, as one wrong decision can affect myself as well as people around me, and giving 100% itself is a task. I have to keep myself ready to face challenges and give appropriate solutions when needed.
I aim to be very calm and patient. I have to be a good listener and this only happens because of meditation and a balanced diet. It is really playing a huge role in keeping myself always alert and ready to multitask.

4. How important is mental and emotional wellbeing in shaping long-term professional success, especially in industries like automotive that demand precision and performance?
See, every individual whom I meet or people who call me come with different attitudes, thinking, and approaches and at that time I have to maintain my mental and emotional stability. As stress sometimes increases, anxiety sometimes appears, my focus is diverted.

In this industry, I have to meet different people from different countries. I’m dealing with different brands and all the companies are not Indian companies. I need to maintain consistency and work upon building positive self-esteem, strong bonding, and investing time to increase productivity. This has helped in achieving my goal.

5. Through your ventures, are you seeing a shift in how corporate leaders are embracing health and wellness for their teams and organizations?
If you need to see your company to grow, you should keep them happy, healthy and safe. Organizations have realized how important it is to take care of their well-being.

I conduct many different activities like distributing raincoats in the monsoon or chaas to the people who are working out there on the road and apart from that, we give clothes, new clothes to the people on Diwali. This develops personal as well as social responsibility in each and every individual.

6. What are some simple wellness principles or habits that you believe every working professional should follow for sustainable performance?
Come what may, your focus should not waver.
I am a strong believer in transparency. I am committed to my principles during working hours. I don’t take decision whenever I am angry and hungry. Daily communication with key persons is must. Review meeting once in a month is must. 100% availability to your team when they need you is must. You have to fulfill all your promises and your commitments with your team. You should never lie to them. These are basic things which I really follow.

7. As someone who encourages holistic living, how do you see platforms like Eat Play Read helping individuals build healthier and more balanced lives?
From childhood, my family instilled in me the importance of a healthy lifestyle, encompassing nutritious eating, outdoor activities, and a love for reading. Sadly, many people today neglect these fundamental habits, leading to unhealthy lives. Through “Eat, Play, Read”, we intend to create a guide for an ideal way of life for everyone, starting from a young age. It would revolutionize our minds, bodies, and soul.

Through our efforts we are looking to emphasise-
We live in a time where nutritious options are within reach, thanks to the contributions of our hardworking farmers. Yet, we often succumb to unhealthy choices regardless of our age. The “Eat, Play, Read” campaign recognizes the significance of these three pillars in promoting a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle for all. By adopting healthy eating, engaging in outdoor activities and fostering a love for reading, we can transform our lives and create a healthier, happier India.
This includes-

• EAT- Nourishing our bodies with a balanced diet is like igniting the engine of vitality. It helps us to maintain our ideal weight, boost muscle growth, fortify immunity, wards off chronic ailments, and powers our productivity.
• PLAY- Society often convinces us that play is reserved solely for the innocent hearts of children, but the truth is that playing outdoor activities has the power to nourish minds and enrich lives at any age.
• READ- By starting to read regularly, you can keep your brain sharp and unlock growth. This not only benefits adults but also your children. So, discover the magic of books for new insights and wisdom.

8. What is your message to aspiring women entrepreneurs about prioritizing their health while building impactful careers?
Every woman is born with her own identity and her own ability. You are a born multitasker. Identify your strength. Keep yourself healthy, happy, and strong.
If you are so, your family shall be prosperous. So, prioritize yourself first with a healthy body, mind, and grow spiritually to make your soul peaceful. And as I say, eat mindfully, play joyfully, and read curiously to make your life easy. This will lead to a successful career. Keep practicing these with dedication and take care of yourself.

<p>The post How Aparna Shah is encouraging mindful living through her Eat Play Read NGO first appeared on Hello Entrepreneurs.</p>