Your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day—which is unfortunate, because ours often involves hitting snooze eight times and later desperately searching for our keys when we have them in our hands. So we asked a few of our favorite #GirlBosses to share the most important things they do every single morning to ensure their day is successful. Here’s what they said.
Rachel Zoe, CEO, Rachel Zoe, Inc.; editor in chief, The Zoe Report
"I'm woken up by my children every morning at 6am. I immediately start caffeinating.
After making breakfast and packing lunch for my boys, I read and catch up on emails that came in overnight. I always review my schedule before getting dressed.
I'm usually in a hurry, so relying on my go-to uniform is such a time-saver when getting ready."
Tamara Hill-Norton, founder and creative director, Sweaty Betty
"I'm so not a morning person. I'm a little grumpy and I'm thankful that my husband handles breakfast for the family. I usually start each day with a hot water and lemon, before showering.
Every morning I make a smoothie, usually with spinach, coconut water, blueberries and avocado, plus added superfoods. I love chia seeds and Moon Juice Power Dust for extra energy.
I pop on my Zero Gravity leggings to ride my bike to the office. I cycle along the River Thames for 30 minutes, which is a great way to wake up before the day starts."
Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and cofounder, Ellevest
"Every morning I wake up at 4—it's when I'm most productive and do my best unguarded thinking. I brew a cup of coffee and keep the lights pretty low. Sometimes I light a fire in the fireplace, and I let my cat sleep next to my computer.
My mind is clear, not yet caught up in the multiple trains of thought running through my head once I start gearing up the day. There's a peace that comes from knowing my family is all in bed and safe upstairs while I work. It's at this early hour that I often have a rush of ideas—some of them actually good!"
Annie Lawless, founder, Lawless Beauty (launching October 23)
"The first thing I do is meditate for 30 minutes before my husband wakes up. That time really clears my mind, puts me in the present and helps me feel calm throughout the day, no matter how busy it is.
I either do an hour of yoga, hop on the elliptical or walk on the beach. I feel so energized and happy afterward, and I find I'm much more productive on days that I work out.
I always have a big green juice—it's the perfect way to rehydrate in the morning, because I can be bad about drinking water. I use kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger, parsley and turmeric. It's so refreshing and makes my skin glow."
Yvonne Niami, founder, n:Philanthropy
"I start with a Vinyasa flow yoga session at my home or at Equinox—the breathing calms your central nervous system so you can take on the day. When I don't do at least three days a week I can feel the stress creep in—not good!
Bulletproof coffee (it's a bit of a pain in the butt to make, but it's so worth it). You only need one cup a day and the caffeine keeps kicking through so you don't need that pick-me-up cup at the usual 3pm slump.
I drink lots of Kangen water—alkaline pH balanced water. I'm really lucky that I have the machine at my home and office. It keeps your acidic levels in check so your pH is balanced, which is great for your skin and overall health.
Then I wake up my two sons with lots of kisses, even though they sometimes don't like it and want to keep sleeping."
Christine Andrew, owner, Ily Couture; blogger, Hello Fashion
"I love waking up early! I'm typically up around 6 or 6:30am every day. The mornings are my time to get stuff done before the kiddos wake up and also enjoy a little quiet time.
Between the blog, Ily, family and everything else going on, I have things flying around my head about a million miles a minute most days and sometimes feel so scattered and disorganized unless I sit down and write it all out. To-do lists have become one of my best friends—and I always feel so productive crossing things off!
Every morning I either write down or say out loud something I'm grateful or thankful for, so I can focus on the positive."
Katie Willcox, author, Healthy Is The New Skinny; founder, Natural Model Management
"I read my emails and create a daily checklist. Because I wear a lot of hats, I get emails from a ton of different people each day. I try to prioritize my day based on the needs of my employees, my family and what I need to do to continue moving onward and upward with my businesses, Natural Model Management and Healthy Is The New Skinny. It's impossible to remember and accomplish everything in one day, so I keep a checklist handy. Everything I don't accomplish that day gets moved to the next day's list. All you can do is your best each day with the time you have.
I listen to happy music when I work. Our family loves music, especially my one-year-old daughter, True, so as I sit and work at the computer we always have a happy upbeat soundtrack playing to keep the good vibes coming. Of course there are dancing outbursts and the moments of fun that serve as a perfect stress reliever for a busy workday."
Miranda Frye, founder, Miranda Frye Jewelry
"Coffee and makeup. I always make Bulletproof coffee and get my makeup on. In my former life I was a makeup artist, and there is something so centering about the process of creating my look for the day. I love being a woman and I love to create, so it is the best of both worlds for me.
I enjoy listening to inspiring and educational podcasts while I'm getting ready for my day. I always want to learn and grow, and I find that listening to others' experiences and knowledge fosters creativity and direction.
I like to encourage my kids and pray for them while I drive them to school in the morning. The drive is my uninterrupted time with the boys. I want them to always walk into their day knowing they are a joy and a blessing to our family and to the world."
Sharon Brown, clinical nutritionist; co-founder, Bonafide Provisions
"I spend 20 minutes in my near infrared sauna meditating and in prayer. Stimulating organs causes the body to detox these organs of harmful toxic waste.
I drink a cup of Bulletproof coffee with organic coffee, two teaspoons of coconut oil, one teaspoon of pastured butter and blend to a froth.
Optimal gut health results in optimal brain health. The gut and brain are like Siamese twins. What the brain thinks affects the gut and what is in the gut affects the brain. This is why many feel "butterflies" in their gut when the brain is thinking about things like public speaking. To make sure my brain is optimal for all the challenges I face at work, I start with my gut. I put two cups of Bonafide Provisions' bone broth in a saucepan, add chopped mixed veggies and two eggs and boil for about 10 minutes. I eat this bowl of gut-healing, nutrient-dense, protein-loaded breakfast every day."
