Exquisite Media’s founder and publisher, Lenny Marlina Tanu, is known for her never-ending energy and extremely busy lifestyle as, together with the Exquisite Media team, she runs Exquisite Media with its nine publications, various websites and apps, merchant acquisition for Indonesia’s five big banks, as well as publishing customised online and print banking magazines. On top of that she still finds time to organise events, sell real estate and has recently opened Bali Education Center. We talked to her about how she’s adapting to the new lifestyle.
Q: How has the stay-at-home situation changed your daily life?
A: It has changed my daily routine a lot. I used to spend every week working between Jakarta and Bali since we have offices and business in both cities. I was always on a plane, in the car or at meetings.
Nowadays, with the current situation and the restrictions on traveling, my time is spent at home, going out only to do necessary grocery shopping. I am trying to take this in a positive way by spending more quality time with my two daughters, especially as in my previous life, I hardly had time with my girls. I also love to cook and to work out, so my daily routine includes exercising more, cooking for the kids and working with the Exquisite Media team and clients via video calls and email.
Q: What activities do you like to do now that you have to stay at home more?
A: I made a small home gym and am working on getting back in shape. I have also bought a lot of books as I am doing an online course to learn about sustainable business. It’s never too late to learn!
Q: Please share your tips on what to do to stay positive at home.
A: During this challenging time, I am praying for everyone’s safety and good health, that this situation will pass soon and for the best to come. It will all end eventually. Tough times never last, but tough people do! Now is the time to be planning ahead and preparing for better days, so that we can hit the ground running when the pandemic is over. I strive to always remain positive; we are blessed to be in good health.
Q: Do you have any tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
A: Eat healthy food. I also prepare meals for my family that are nutritious to sustain our immune systems. I work out at least once a day. I also think it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, to take a multivitamin and to make sure you have enough rest.
Q: Since you have to stay at home more, what do you miss most from normal life?
A: I miss catching up with my good friends, family, the team and all the wonderful people out there, dressing up to attend events, as well as dining out in nice restaurants with a great meal, great company and mouth-watering wine.
Q: What is the first country you want to visit after the quarantine is over and why?
A: First of course, although it’s not a country, is going to the beach in Bali, where we live. We miss the beach so much, but we can’t go now because all the beaches are temporary closed.
As for a country, my family and I love Japanese food, skiing in Japan and the country itself. We had actually planned to have a skiing holiday in Hokkaido, Japan, this year, and I would love to take my daughters, Isabella and Sienna, my mother and sister, to Disneyland Japan. We’ve postponed our trip to the next ski season. I keep praying that these days will pass and we can get back to our lives soon.
