Nora Hameidani is founder and creative director of Barre Effect, Dubai’s leading barre studio. Passionate about her business, she’s helped many women across the city get strong, flexible and toned. She’s also a busy mum of three.
Here she shares what a typical day looks like for her…
6AM
My alarm is set for 5:45am in the hope to wake up before the kids… but sometimes they beat me to it! I’m a morning person and enjoy a quiet start to the day to feel focused and energised. Once our three kids are up and in the kitchen I finish up their lunch boxes and give them breakfast. I have hot water with lemon to start the day rehydrated. I’m also not hungry first thing and need a bit of time to fully wake up. Usually, my husband takes the boys to school and I have coffee and breakfast at home with our 18 month old before taking her to nursery. My breakfast is usually oats or Greek yogurt with fruit—something light but filling.
9AM
As a mom and business owner, every day looks different. I am so grateful to have a certain level of flexibility in my schedule. Most mornings I go straight to the studio from drop-off. My morning includes a Barre Effect class, which I fit around meetings and calls. I currently do not have permanent classes that I teach on the schedule, and am then available to cover if someone is sick or on holiday. I prefer this so that I have more flexibility if my husband is traveling, or meetings come up. I love taking class not only because it’s my favorite workout, but it is also a great time to connect with my team and clients. Once per week I mix it up with a yoga class, at either Matcha or Samadhi Wellness. I have been practicing yoga since I was in college and consider myself a lifelong student.
1PM
Once my workout is done and I have some time, Deliveroo it is! Salad or Acai is my usual lunch, as I am a creature of habit and need something light. I consciously try to limit my coffee intake, but by early afternoon coffee number two is much needed. Then I finish up what I can on my to do list before heading out of the studio for the day. I have a great General Manager and administrative staff, however I still like to be involved in the day to day at the studio. I focus more on marketing/events, instructor recruitment/training, and business administration.
3PM
Both boys finish around 3pm so I can pick them up together. Luckily, the kids’ schools, our house, and the studio are all just a few kilometers apart so I can maximise my time. After pickup, the afternoon is filled with snacks, playing outside in our garden, and playing Lego.
My kids are young - 6 years, 4 years, and 18 months, so it is all hands on deck in the afternoons. They have various after-school activities and commitments, making their schedule quite the puzzle - and me their taxi driver!
6PM
Dinner/bath/bedtime starts about 6:30pm, and as any parent knows, it can get pretty hectic. My husband and I both prioritise this time with our kids as we believe it’s important to have routine and family time each evening. Most evenings we all have dinner together, then we put all three in the tub! From there we divide and conquer - one puts our baby daughter to bed while the other reads stories to the boys. The kids are tired from their early start and full days, so they are usually asleep by 8pm.
8PM
We have work or social obligations in the evenings a few times a week but the average night once the kids go to sleep are spent catching up with each other, comparing schedules, and planning for the following day with my husband. We love Pinkberry and have it delivered embarrassingly too often so once the to do lists are finish, we relax with dessert and a series. We try to have date night once a week when possible, and I love to try out a newly opened spot. As you can imagine I am pretty tired after such a long, active day and try to be in bed about 10-10:30pm to read a bit and get a full night’s sleep.