"I participate in swimming marathons," — Indira Rakhmetova, senior business analyst, about her lifestyle

Indira Rakhmetova, city — Astana, senior business analyst at EPAM Kazakhstan

About me

I am a senior business analyst at EPAM, having transitioned into IT from the banking sector. My job is to implement innovative solutions and improve business processes. I live in Astana, a city that is constantly changing, so I enjoy the fast pace. In my free time, I am always discovering new hobbies. The most important one is swimming: just five years ago I barely knew how to swim, but now I participate in marathons. I also enjoy reading, especially books on self-development and professional growth. I love traveling to learn about new cultures and find inspiration. Overall, I cannot stand doing nothing and am always searching for: ideas, discoveries, and hobbies.

My day usually starts with a workout at 07:00. Of course, sometimes I want to sleep in, but in the end, my desire to get out of bed always wins — I remind myself of the feelings after a workout when dopamine levels rise, blood circulation improves, and energy flows for the whole day. After the workout, I start working, between 09:00 and 10:00, depending on the project. At lunch, especially during the warm season, I try to walk with colleagues near the office. Evenings are dedicated to family and friends, as well as hobbies and reading.

A few times a week, I swim with a coach and periodically participate in marathons. In my opinion, the most difficult part of a marathon is the preparation, which requires a lot of effort and time, so during such periods I train especially hard.

I think there is no universal daily routine; the main thing is to adapt to your own body and listen to it. For example, with my lark chronotype, this schedule suits me. Moreover, I feel that water in the pool relieves fatigue and energizes.

I didn’t always have such a routine — there were times when I focused only on work and forgot about myself. Over time, I realized how important it is to set aside one or two hours for sports or any other activity unrelated to work. Otherwise, every day can turn into a groundhog day. Sports help prevent burnout.

Where and how I learn

Any profession in IT implies continuous learning, as technologies develop rapidly. Most often, I learn within the company — we have a well-established educational ecosystem, including our own educational platform, Learn. There, I regularly take courses and trainings, not only in my BA specialization. For example, I recently took a course on AI, and generally, I try to dedicate time to Soft Skills. I am genuinely interested in learning and discovering new fields.

When studying a language, I follow pages of different teachers and schools on social media, study materials, and sign up for trainings. For professional development, one of the most convenient and informal ways is participating in professional communities, including within EPAM. By the way, our communities are also available to the external audience.

Recently, I attended a meetup where the author of a book on software development, Karl Wiegers, spoke. It was wonderful to hear from the author himself about the process of writing the book and the ideas embedded in it.

I also try to keep track of various masterclasses and workshops, attending those that interest me. I read professional literature. For example, some of my favorite professional books are "User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development" by Mike Cohn and "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel Pink.

I recommend paying attention to courses and materials from EPAM Learn, MIT OpenCourseWare, Coursera, and professional communities on LinkedIn. These resources help me constantly update my knowledge and stay up to date with the latest trends.

Surroundings

My circle includes very different people: friends, colleagues, and those with whom we share interests. The circle is constantly expanding. For example, the girls I swim with introduced me to the Oceanman competitions and yoga. Oceanman is a series of international open-water marathons held in different countries around the world. Participants swim long distances in open waters: seas, oceans, or reservoirs, covering 1.5 kilometers, 2 kilometers, 5 kilometers, and 10 kilometers.

Being surrounded by people from different fields with diverse interests is beneficial for broadening one's horizons. It provides an opportunity to be inspired by new ideas and see familiar things from a different perspective. Sometimes ideas for work appear in completely unexpected places and situations. My surroundings help me grow both professionally and personally.

I actively attend various networking events. Additionally, working in a large company allows me to communicate with colleagues from different countries and continents, which enables me to constantly learn something new, not only from a professional point of view but also to get acquainted with different cultures and customs.

I also participated in the TechOrda program as a mentor. Working with students was a valuable experience for me, and I learned a lot from them. Learning is always a two-way exchange.

Any hobby or interest is a form of networking; they help me expand my social circle, meet new people, and find ideas.

Where and how to find like-minded people in IT:

1. Attend meetups and professional gatherings. You can find them on the social media pages of companies you like.

2. Colleagues. If you are active, even if you go to the office only occasionally, and attend informal events within the company, it is easy to find kindred spirits.

3. Social networks, particularly LinkedIn and Facebook. I follow interesting people, participate in discussions, and track events. This helps me build my online circle.

Where I spend my free time

I like active hobbies. Once I practiced kizomba and went to the gym, but then swimming took center stage — I started dedicating more time to it and enjoying it more. I especially like that it is not just physical activity but also an opportunity to stay in the moment alone with myself. In addition, I am interested in studying psychology and have started practicing yoga. All this helps maintain discipline, prevent burnout, and gain energy reserves.

Sometimes I manage to combine sports and travel; for example, I had the opportunity to participate in a swim in Thailand — it was an unforgettable experience!

Where and what to buy

I am a fan of the Apple brand. I value their products for their reliability, quality, and ease of use, as well as for the unified ecosystem that allows synchronizing all devices with each other. For example, I happily use Apple Watch even while swimming in the sea with saltwater — it is convenient and functional. Products are usually purchased at iSpace, sometimes ordered from the official Apple website or from major retailers like Amazon.