Agribazaar CEO misses meeting his co-founders; became the weekend cook at home in lockdown

Travel certainly tops Amith Agarwal, founder and CEO of www.agribazaar.com's list.
"I have not met my co-founders who stay in Delhi, Jaipur and Kota. Also, I wish to take my family for a short holiday for a change. Travel will be solely to meet my friends and dear ones, with no particular destination in mind. From a group holiday perspective, I would love to travel to the mountains in Himachal Pradesh as international travel is yet to resume," he tells ET Panache.

Pamper yourself
Salon service is something Agarwal looks forward to once the pandemic worries go away; being at home today a simple haircut seems to be luxury, he feels.

"I miss Mumbai street food the most, especially the ‘gol gappas’ and ‘bhel puri chaat’. The Yoga House in Bandra West is a great place. I would like to visit – a small yet calm place where you can read a book and also have a healthy meal," he says.

Most of Agarwal's shopping needs are done online. "However, I wish to have purchased a set of Bose sound cancelling headphones for my Zoom meetings. My iPad and laptop have been my best companions during the lockdown. I have carved out a small wfh office space in one of my children’s study rooms, which is a place I look forward to everyday. Stable internet connection is something that has become rare during the pandemic," he shares.

Challenge chapter
Agarwal has taken up cooking as a hobby and less of a challenge. "For the past six months, I have been the weekend cook, preparing healthy dishes especially for the children as they are bored at home. Saturdays and Sundays are totally dedicated to cooking. Pizza and dosas are favourite among the kids. Yoga has been a key reason for my fitness; I try to follow a morning yoga routine," he says.

Agarwal is working on his belly weight a lot. "Otherwise, I am fit and healthy. Crunches, taking the stairs and keeping an eye of my food intake are the key measures I have focussed on during the pandemic. I got time to catch up on my reading; I regularly devote time to books and have completed reading quite a few. I try to use the time saved on office commute to read books," he says.

WFh has ensured that Agarwal's online skills be it during Zoom meetings or social media responses are sharpened during this time.

"I nowadays understand and view digital analytics and social media responses in a more scientific manner. I am generally a positive person and believe that life is all about dreams, hope and a better tomorrow. My regular interactions with the team kept me motivated and bullish about the future. I believe that the pandemic has taught us the value of uncertainty like never before and hence, living a more fulfilling and mindful life is the way to a happy future. Family, friends, colleagues and relationships have got a new meaning as we have realised chasing material dreams in such an uncertain world can make you regret later," he says.

Mental peace
Stress can be only dealt with positivity. Agarwal believes however dire the situation, if we have an action plan or a way forward solution, stress itself will never appear.

"The only way of dealing with stress is to have an action plan for every uncertainty and then leave the rest to God. As I had to attend e-meetings and e-office on a regular basis, grooming remained the same. Personally, I feel fresh and energised to dress up and get ready before sitting at my WFH workdesk. Hence, I believe always be well-groomed and ready, as if, you have to step out of your office anytime," he ends.