THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

The January Program begins tomorrow and I’ve been prepping for the first Monday of the new year. I recently looked back at my morning routine post from Jan 2020 and was floored at how much my mornings have changed. Have you thought about yours? Morning routines are more important than ever, especially since we’re multi-tasking and juggling so much right now. We thrive from the consistency and efficiency of routines; they allow us to have more control of our day, reduce stress, keep us grounded and on top of our game. When our world gets knocked off it’s axis, having a morning routine that we can count on makes us feel motivated and much more in control of our lives.  

There’s real power in a morning routine because it’s comforting – Particularly when the routine involves good healthy habits like movement, whole foods, water, and self-care rituals like mindfulness. My morning routine is a big emotional motivator for me and it plays a huge part in my life. Committing to my best habits, especially during the past few months has been so vital.

Time is our most valuable standard and each piece of our morning routine should add value, joy, and productivity to our stressful, high-octane days. The goal is to build us up without burning out and we are naturally more productive in the AM. A solid morning routine is a lot like Newton’s Law of Motion. That AM routine IS the inertia that will snowball into your most important tasks – The ones that drive the most business, and bring you the most joy. 

Morning routines really help us keep our eye on the prize and our mindset strong. Moving your body everyday especially in the morning is an amazing productivity hack that helps us stay powerful, innovative, and forward-focused. Listen to your body and it will tell you what it needs. Maybe you need cardio or sculpt, or you might need to freestyle in your kitchen to some trap music. Seriously! Whatever movement will make you feel good should hold a sacred space in your daily routine.

LAUREN'S MORNING ROUTINE

Can you tell us about your morning routine?

Well, I single parent three - four days a week so I have a lot on my plate in the mornings! Hectic is oftentimes an understatement. I love the quiet of early mornings; waking up around 5:30 AM allows me to decompress, have some me time and prepare my day instead of just going straight into incoming communication, work and being a mom.

I’m really not the greatest water drinker so I always make myself drink a large glass of water with lemon and turmeric while my coffee brews. I’ll write out my to-do list on my phone (without checking my email), prioritize my day, and I TRY to set an intention for the day but it doesn’t always happen. From there, I turn on some music and free flow on my mat in the living room while the sun rises and Mars is still sleeping. Moving early in the day really inspires me and gets my creativity flowing. I have more energy at night but I create my best content in the AM. I do this on an empty stomach because fasted cardio gives us a surge of anti-aging human growth hormone and it keeps my head so much clearer. I’m a believer! Then, I shower and check Studio LB hotline messages and social media.

I wake Mars up at 7AM and we’re out the door just before 8AM. School drop off is at 8:30 AM in Hollywood and I swear that some days I feel like I’ve run a marathon by 9AM. Mom’s know - Sometimes it’s kinda like herding a cat. It’s crazy! A few days a week after drop-off I’ll grab a Cubano at The Commissary with my girlfriend Janeesa and then once I’m back home, I get straight to work as half of my team is east coast-based. I’ll make a collard wrap or a quick breakfast salad with spinach, quinoa, a hard boiled egg, and salmon or chicken, or I’ll blend up a low-sugar smoothie at 11AM and then I’m in hair and makeup and on-camera and in production starting at noon. I do pre-production on Mondays and it has made my week so much better. No more Sunday blues!

What is your sanity saving non-negotiable in the morning?

LB: Fresh air and music are high priority for me in the AM. I never watch or listen to the news it just gives me really bad vibes.

Favorite way to treat yourself?

LB: I am all about getting away or traveling somewhere new. Oh, and going out to HH with my girls. I just love to have a good time and feel alive. Life is all about living, right?

You’re on-camera so much. How do you manage over-stimulation? Do you have any tips on managing that stress?

LB: I have to be very ON for my work so it takes a lot out of me and it’s tough to come down sometimes. Unwinding at night (another article for another time) is a challenge. I’m naturally a night owl and can easily get a second wind at 10PM so if I don’t put myself to bed, I’m happily up working until 1AM. I personally manage my daytime stress with movement and some gratitude, and as I write this after a super full day I am thankful that I have a strong, healthy body and get to do what I do, and that people love Cardio-Cheer-Sculpting. Perspective.

Tell us where you find AM peace.

LB: I feel really lucky to live where I do here in Southern California; the city, the beach, desert, and the mountains are all so close and accessible. Growing up on the east coast I specifically find my peace outdoors now all year long and I love it. I also love sailing and at some point I really want to sail out here. Being on the water is my ultimate and I have such an infatuation with the Pacific, although I’m somewhat terrified of what’s under the water!

Describe something that has changed your morning world since you moved to LA.

You know, the past few years have really made me realize the impact of my own attitude on the quality of my life…especially in the morning. I’ve always been an optimist, but I’m not really a morning person. Choosing to be positive at the start of the day and having a positive attitude everyday is more important than anything else in the AM.

Having a positive attitude (or a negative one) can make or break any situation: A business, a family, a friendship - And it’s more impactful than success, failure, work ethic, and even talent, imo. I am totally convinced that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we positively or negatively react to it.