Other Women's Jobs - A Day In The Life and Career of Imane Belhabes

NAME: Imane Belhabes

AGE: 38 years old

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @imanebelhabes/ @wellnesswonderme

JOB TITLE: Founder of WellnessWonderz and Senior Market Insights Generator

MOVED TO THE UAE IN: 2015

After 15+ years of experience in insights and research in corporate, Imane is an expert in understanding consumer needs and translating them into strategies. In April 2025 she decided to create WellnessWonderz, the first fitness subscription box in the UAE and the region, curated 100% from UAE homegrown brands.

The WellnessWonderz idea came from her own need for convenience, support and community when she first started her wellness journey 4 years ago. With demanding jobs and the overwhelming number of fitness brands out there today, we don’t really have the time (or the knowledge) to browse, choose and purchase fitness gear.

In parallel with being an entrepreneur, Imane is also working in insights and market research full time, which makes her days (and nights) extremely structured between her business and corporate job.

 Let's learn about a day in the life and career of Imane:

6 AM to 7 AM: 

I’m an early riser, and I’ve come to really value slow, intentional mornings. They help me ease into the day with a sense of calm and clarity. I like to take my time waking up, moving gently through my routine without rushing. Breakfast is a quiet ritual, always paired with a strong cup of coffee and the nostalgic comfort of my favourite 90s and early 2000s tunes playing softly in the background. If the weather is nice, I’ll take it all outside. There is something grounding about starting the day with fresh air and a familiar soundtrack. It’s my way of setting the tone before the busyness begins..

7 AM to 9 AM: 

I start by checking my WellnessWonderz emails, plan my day, and set the key objective to achieve for that day. I have learned to also break down this objective into smaller tasks, which helps make it achievable. I also pack boxes in the morning for the courier's morning pickup. Packing the boxes is one of my favourite parts of running WellnessWonderz. I try to make the unboxing experience as special as possible (the boxes will always smell nice, and they will always arrive with a personal handwritten note).

9 AM to 12 NOON:

I put on my corporate work hat and start my official working day. I’m usually the most productive in the morning, so that’s when I do all tasks that will demand high brain energy (data analysis, report writing, etc). In addition to wellness, insights and market research are another passion of mine, which I enjoy still everyday! As I’m juggling both, it’s very important to be 100% when I’m Imane the Insights Lead during my working hours and to be at 100% Imane the Wellness entrepreneur outside of my corporate hours. It helps my brain stay focused.

12 NOON to 1 PM: 

I take a 30-minute lunch always, usually outside of the office away from screens. I consider lunch a mini reset where I recharge for the rest of the day. The remaining 30 minutes I will switch back to entrepreneurship to catch up on the tasks at hand for WellnessWonderz. I’m not the kind of person who likes starting a task and not finishing it. So I try to estimate which tasks would be closed in 30 minutes, and I will make sure to complete them then!

1 PM to 5 PM: 

In the afternoons, I shift gears and it is where I usually schedule most of my meetings and calls. It’s also the time I dedicate to catching up on emails, responding to messages, and handling any collaborative work that requires input from others.

5 PM - 6 PM:

Something that’s a non-negotiable for me is my fitness/ wellness hour, always at the end of the day (As I can’t do morning workouts).  I usually do four to five workouts a week: 2 strength workouts, 2 running sessions and 1 Yoga or Pilates session. I’ve always struggled with sports (I only started working out in my mid-30s), but then I met a coach who really changed my mindset of instead of looking at working out as a punishment to recognising it as a gift and a way to feel healthier and stronger! This hour really helps me stay focused, healthy, and the post-workout endorphin dose is just what I need to survive the rest of the working night!

7 PM - 8 PM:

Another non-negotiable part of my day is dinner time with my partner. It’s our little daily ritual, where we unwind together over a meal and an episode of one of our favourite sitcoms—usually The Big Bang Theory or The Office. There’s something comforting about the familiar humour and shared laughter that sets the tone for a relaxed evening. But more than just entertainment, this hour is our time to connect. We catch up on each other’s day, sharing updates on projects, celebrating small wins, and talking through any setbacks. It’s like our own mini therapy session (though I’ll admit, I probably lean into it a bit more than he does!). It’s a simple but meaningful way to stay in sync and support each other, no matter how busy life gets.

8 PM - 10 PM: 

Back to work for WellnessWonderz, I usually leave any tasks around content for the nights: content ideation, editing and scheduling, answering messages on social media, answering Whatsapp messages/ voice notes. Sometimes I have an online call at night with my supplier based in Morocco for website discussions, tweaks, etc. I’m even inspired sometimes to draft a LinkedIn post when I remember something that happened on that day that I want to share.

10 PM: 

I'm definitely an early bird, so I make it a point to wind down and head to bed by 10 PM every night. I try to keep my evenings as screen-free as possible to help my mind relax, so instead of scrolling or watching TV, I like to journal while I’m in bed. It’s a calming ritual that helps me reflect on the day, process any lingering thoughts, and set intentions for tomorrow. Once I’ve finished journaling, I usually reach for either a meditation app or a true crime podcast, depending on my mood. If it’s been a particularly stressful or chaotic day, I tend to lean toward meditation to help me reset and find some peace. But on calmer nights, I enjoy the intrigue of a good true crime story to get me to sleep.

Weekends: 

A portion of my weekends naturally becomes an extension of my weekdays, especially when it comes to WellnessWonderz. While I do try to carve out time to rest and recharge, weekends are often when I dive into the creative and operational side of the business. I usually dedicate time to content filming and creation, whether it’s planning out new ideas, shooting videos, or editing for upcoming posts. It’s also when I handle stock management and make sure everything behind the scenes is running smoothly. Occasionally, my weekends include events like pop-ups or collaborations with gyms and Pilates studios, where I either sponsor or participate in classes. These moments are not only great for visibility but also for connecting with the community in a more personal way. It’s a busy rhythm, but one that keeps me inspired and aligned with my passion.