Tahlia Thomas is an Integrative Nutritionist with a BHSc in nutritional and dietetic medicine who specialises in GIT function and women’s health.
Let’s start with your background! Can you share with us your career journey and what you’re currently up to?
Thanks so much for having me! I am an Integrative Nutritionist, with a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional & Dietetic Medicine. I really enjoy being challenged in different ways and you’ll never find me working on just one thing.
Currently, I am a Lead Practitioner at Happy Healthy You, an Australian-based health and lifestyle brand, founded by Olympian Lisa Curry, where I feel honoured to support our team of incredible practitioners to best serve our community. We provide a holistic and natural alternative to a healthy life, aiming to empower people and really make a difference in their lives.
Educating, nurturing, and guiding our community and my patients is something I am passionate about — the more you understand your body and your symptoms, the more control you have over your health.
Each day looks super different at Happy Healthy You, from Practitioner education to product development, I really do love every part of it.
I also own a Holistic Wellbeing Clinic & Yoga Studio called Ardor in Albury NSW where I am in clinical practice seeing patients one on one through my business, Tahlia Thomas Nutrition, which I absolutely adore.
In the free time that I have, I am currently specialising in Fertility & Oncology care!
We’d love to know what a typical day is like for you. Could you describe a recent workday?
A typical day for me starts off each morning with 20 minutes of Vedic Meditation, followed by either a walk outside in nature or some yoga at home or in the studio.
No workday looks the same, but if I’m not heading into the clinic or studio, I jump into my home office with a cup of green tea.
My workdays are busy, with Zoom meetings to product research & development to face-to-face consultations with patients. However, a non-negotiable for me is always taking a midday break for lunch in the sun.
One of my favourite ways to switch off from work each night is cooking the family meal — I love jumping into the kitchen and being creative and seeing how many veggies I can get my family to eat!
I do have a slight addiction to cookbooks, so try to utilise these to cook a new recipe each week!
Can you define work-life balance for yourself and share with us your approach in maintaining it?
Work-life balance for me looks like having structured time for work, play and switching off.
I approach my work-life balance seriously because it is important to me that I am feeling my best in all that I do — from my work to friends and family.
In regard to maintaining a great work-life balance, I’ve found it really helpful to turn all notifications off on my phone, so I’m not always stimulated by a bingeing iPhone!
I also find designated screen-free time extremely important when I’m not working and trying to enjoy my days off!
The balance for me is also about communicating effectively these tips with my partner, stepchildren and Happy Healthy You team. It’s super helpful to let your family and work know about your boundaries and is the key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance long-term.
Change is constant, and it’s essential for growth. Have you made any lifestyle changes in the past year to improve your work-life balance?
Yes I have, and it’s been a game-changer!
I have reduced the number of patients I see on a weekly basis which ensures that I don’t constantly work overtime and allows me to have a consistent finish time each day. This is what helps me to spend special moments with the family — getting into the kitchen as this is what fills my cup!
I now have a waitlist for new patients which allows me to have control over my workload and effectively plan ahead.
I’ve also started prioritising holidays over the last year, and actually taking the time to head away where I can fully switch off and not think too much about work!
We’re always on the lookout for new resources! Can you recommend any books, podcasts, or newsletters that have helped you in your journey towards balance?
The screentime application on the iPhone is a game changer, and I have my phone screen time limited to 30 minutes for all social media platforms each day.
I love the Imperfects podcast for insights about self-development and it provides great tips on how to show up as your best self in life and work.
James Clear’s Atomic Habits newsletter is punchy and powerful — I love opening it every week!
Before we wrap up, do you have any final words of wisdom or insights on work, life, or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?
There have certainly been times throughout my career when the balance hasn’t always been achievable. I do however believe that my commitment to a healthy work-life balance has helped me to where I am today.
I think even if you can’t achieve balance when it comes to workload, you will always be able to find balance in another area; maybe that’s with the food that you eat, your cleaning schedule at home, or the way you spend your weekends instead!
I encourage your readers to try and find what works for them — it’s a journey but trust and enjoy the process.
Remember, it’s never too late to achieve the work-life balance you dream of.