Ruth Davidson: 'I don’t know what life will look like once the baby is born'
No two days are the same, and I get up at different times, depending on whether I’ve got an early flight or if I am not due in Parliament till later. But every second day I walk the dog before work – Jen and I take turns.
Afterwards, I have some cereal. I’m terrible for not eating breakfast, but now I’m pregnant I’ve had to be disciplined. Then, if it’s a Parliament day, I’ll go off to do anything from meetings to votes, plus two or three nights a week I’m out at speaking events.
There are times in this job when you take a lot of responsibility on yourself. Before the big EU debate at Wembley Arena, I was staying in London for three days preparing. When you’re not at home and don’t have your home comforts, it’s a case of building in some sort of mindfulness. Fresh air and walking are important for me – I particularly like walking at night, before bed, to unwind.
Before big TV debates, you prep by having your team play your opponents and hammer you as hard as they can. I used to be in the Territorial Army, and there’s an Army phrase which is ‘Train hard, fight easy’.
On Sundays, I take Wilson on long walks on the beach. I’ll often make a roast, too – I find cooking quite Zen.
Jen and I are aware that we don’t know what our life is going to look like once the baby comes. We’ve organised our shared parental leave and built the furniture, but we’re trying to leave ourselves space to be able to react to the baby’s routine.
You know yourself more as you get older, and I feel a greater confidence in my judgement now. I wouldn’t change the decisions I’ve made – apart from maybe the dodgy perm in my teens – but if I could, I’d reassure my younger self that those decisions are the right ones.
‘Yes She Can: Why Women Own the Future’ by Ruth Davidson (Hodder & Stoughton, £20) is out now
Ruth’s tips for a healthy work-life balance
Cook from scratch, a couple of times a week. A slow cooker is brilliant if you’re busy.
Eat fruit. I always feel grotty if I’ve not had enough.
Make time for exercise. Even if it’s just 30 minutes a week, the stress relief is amazing.
Get some fresh air. Make sure you’re not just going from one air-conditioned office building to another.
Take time to be kind to yourself: curl up with a good book or have a bath with smelly stuff in it.
My go-to album is…
The Hamilton musical soundtrack. I saw the show earlier this year and now have the album on repeat.
At home I love…
Scented candles, especially After The Rain by Arran, £25.
My favourite app is…
Tides Near Me. It tells you whether the tide is in or out, so I know when’s best to take the dog to the beach.
My signature scent is…
Marc Jacobs’ Daisy. It’s floral but not too floral, fresh but not too citrusy, £55 for 50ml edt.
My wardrobe staple is…
A colourful scarf. Even if you’re wearing a boring dark suit, a nice scarf makes all the difference. I have a couple from Monsoon.
My style icon
Christine Lagarde. She’s fantastically clever, so self-possessed, and also stylish.
As told to Tina Nandha
