Nichole Menzies Mum Life Interview

The Woman Who Juggles It All and She Has Her Wristwatch to Thank

Between getting her four children to swimming in the early hours of the morning, helping her husband run the family business and pursuing her own career as a flight attendant, keeping an eye on the time is essential for Nichole Menzies.

Nichole is not alone in stretching herself thin. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, mothers work an average of 4,004 hours per year when combining paid work, housework and childcare - 104 hours more than men do.

Staying organised sounds almost impossible for mothers, but Nichole explains the secret to her three-hatted juggling act is being married to one of Australia's only national watchmakers.

"When I'm on the ground, I'm constantly looking at my watch to make sure I'm on par with running the household and aligning with the kids' schedule," explains Nichole.

"When I'm in the air, it's compulsory that we wear watches – our whole day is dictated by time and flight changes so needless to say being married to a watchmaker is very convenient."

Before Nichole took to the skies, she worked in a jewellery store in North Queensland where a very persistent, charismatic Adina Watches sales rep would come to show the watches he and his Dad carefully created. After five years in Melbourne working as a flight attendant, Nichole ran into Grant Menzies once again and the rest is history.

Grant is one half of the father-son duo spearheading Adina Watches, originally established by his father Robert Menzies in 1971. Since Adina's beginning, the Menzies women have played a crucial role in the success of this Australian favourite – and Nichole is no different.

In the founding years, Grant's mother Lyn did the books and today Nichole plays an integral role in Adina Watches marketing and sponsorship, ensuring the brand recognises it's loyal female customer base.

"I love being an advocate for the age-old, simple and efficient way of telling time, not shuffling around for your phone in a handbag or have it fall out of your pocket on a jog" continues Nichole.

"Often I also support Grant with creative direction, sharing honest feedback on new designs as I've come to recognise that women who love watches and wear them every day want something functional that's able to withstand the everyday mess of being a mum yet elegant enough to roll straight into a business function."

As Adina Watches approaches their 49th year of creating timeless pieces for Australian women, Nichole says she will continue to balance everyday life, work and family; the importance of which she wants to instil in her children.

Interview with Nichole Menzies

Question: How have you created your own work/life balance?

Nichole Menzies: For me if I wanted to be a part of all the things our children have going on as a Mum, be supportive to Grant as a wife , continue my career in Airlines and maintain being me with my friends, I had to be organised. It starts with a huge month at a glance calendar in the kitchen which we literally work our lives around. Grant is very hands on with the kids and with me being at work at least half the weekends of the year there are things I miss, for us to succeed as a family we all need to make sacrifices.

Question: Can you talk us through how a watch helps you juggle your family and work life?

Nichole Menzies: Besides being a full-time mum and helping out with my husband's business when I can, I also work as a flight attendant, so my whole day is dictated by time-keeping an eye on the hours is absolutely essential for me. I can't afford to lose any more minutes of the day by rummaging around my handbag trying to find my iPhone to tell the time, or have the battery on a smartwatch run flat. I need functional time telling, strapped to my wrist, 24/7, that's why I swear by wristwatches. Especially one that is water proof!


Question: What advice do you have for women struggling to juggle it all?

Nichole Menzies: Take time out every day for yourself, it doesn't need to be long, 30 minutes to read a book, listen to a podcast, go for walk even have a cat nap (which is one of my faves) anything to just let yourself reset!


Question: Which of the Adina Watches range are you currently wearing?

Nichole Menzies: Being married to a watchmaker definitely has its perks in this instance because I have the most beautiful collection of Adina Watches that Grant has gifted me over the years. At the moment, I tend to gravitate towards my Adina Oceaneer which is mid-sized, stone set and rose gold. It is a fashionable watch but at the same time it is really functional. However if the truth be told I have got my eye on the collector's edition Polocrosse watch, the blue dial is stunning… with a birthday coming up a girl can dream!


Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

Nichole Menzies: Our four children (Estella 10, Archie 8, and twins Audrey and Clancy 6) are all very sporty so there is swimming in the mornings, last minute homework over breakfast, then off to school. The afternoons are equally as crazy with soccer, hockey, gymnastics, swimming and not to forget more homework! Grant and I share the load as we are both working parents and the slow cooker helps out too! It gets very well used at our place!


Question: Where would we find you on a Sunday?
Nichole Menzies: I have to say often at work! If that is not the case the family always let me sleep in on Sundays then Grant and I will enjoy a late breakfast on our deck. It has been known to turn into lunch… champagne helps if you know what I mean!


Question: What's next for you?

Nichole Menzies: Right now we are preparing for our annual cycling trip to Europe. This year we are going to ride in Southern England and Northern France for a month. We look forward to our trips every year; they're a genuine family adventure with no interruptions!


Interview by Brooke Hunter