Behind the scenes: Rise + Shine with Alli

Mornings – you either hate ‘em, or you love ‘em. For me, this is hands down my favorite part of the day. This is probably weird, but I’ve always been mildly obsessed with morning routines, especially studying up on those of the world’s most successful people. I’ve read so many articles on this topic, and I’ve taken bits & pieces from each one to implement into my own. Some have worked, others not so much. Finally, at age 30, I think it’s fair to say that I’ve created a morning routine now that really works for me, and puts me in the right mindset for the day.

My not-so-average "average" day

One of the most popular questions I so often receive as an entrepreneur from friends and family is: “What does your average day look like?” I find this incredibly hard to answer, as Amy and I both wear so many hats and are so involved in all of the facets of our business. That usually means that my days RARELY look the same ever, but that’s actually one of my favorite parts (if not my most favorite) about running a business.

For that reason, usually my answer to this question would be “I don’t have an average day”. But if I had to answer less vaguely, I would say that my average day consists of a few hours of “me” time when I first wake up, a solid breakfast, and then it’s off to attacking my to-do lists for the day, whatever that may bring. Typically I spend about 3 days a week in my home office, and 2 days a week away from home – these days are the best for meetings, photos, product development, and whatever else comes up in the course of a week (which can be, a lot of random things of importance).

One thing I do that helps me set up my weekdays actually involves more of a set weekend routine. On Sunday nights before bed, I typically jot down an entire “to-do” list or any and all random thoughts about work that are on my brain. I call it my brain dump list (not very elegant I realize, lol). Then I can organize/structure my week around all of these “to-do’s”, meetings & appointments. If I don’t make this list on Sundays, I find it incredibly hard to wind my mind down and go to sleep. This is a big one for me, and I highly recommend it to any of you who suffer from the “Sunday Scaries”, which can happen even if you love your job (me) because you get overwhelmed easily (also me).

My morning routine

My alarm goes off between 5-5:30 a.m. everyday, unless I go to bed absolutely exhausted at night, in which case I give myself an extra hour or so of sleep. Sleep is always a #1 priority for me – I can’t be creative or do anything productive without it.

About 4x a week, I try to get to our local YMCA to lift weights or take a spin on our Peloton bike before 7:30 A.M. Exercise is a must for me, mentally. Not only does it get my blood flowing, it’s a huge stress reliever and I find that I work through a lot of problem solving during this time, even unintentionally. If I don’t get there right away in the mornings, I’m usually pretty crabby about it, because it’s hard to fit in the rest of the day, and I absolutely hate working out in the evenings. But, again, some days it’s just critical to grab a little extra R&R.

After I workout, I usually take 15-20 minutes to have a cup of coffee + read the news, check my inbox, and a quick social media scan. My absolutely favorite way to get the news is The Skimm, which is a really quick + funny briefing of everything that’s going on in the world. Then it’s onto a shower and getting ready, which is one of my favorite parts of the day because it’s when I listen to my podcasts. A few morning favorites of mine are The Daily, RISE with Rachel Hollis, the Goal Digger with Jenna Kutcher, and the Goop podcasts. What I listen to really depends on my mood of the day!

While I make breakfast, before work begins, I write in a gratitude journal. I used to roll my eyes when people would say this because it sounds so cheesy, but it really does help to set the right perspective + attitude for the day. I bought this one from Amazon, which helps you list what you’re grateful for, what you’re excited about, and your top priorities/must-do’s for the day (which is also super helpful for when you feel like your to-do list is never ending).

After a workout, coffee, shower, breakfast & journaling – I finally feel ready to tackle the day! Anything creative I have to work on (writing, brainstorming, etc) has to be done first and I always make that a priority. I’m the most innovative and creative in the morning – as the day goes on, this side of my brain winds down and the more analytical side starts to come to life.

My wardrobe staples - what I reach for weekly

Because most of the time I work from home, comfort is key. I’ve been on our Instagram stories a lot recently talking about this. It needs to A) be enticing enough to get me out of my bath robe (one of my favorite possessions) + pajama pants but also B) make me feel put together so that I feel more motivated and productive. Oh, and one more BIG requirement for me – it has to be super easy to put together, because I definitely don’t have a ton of time in my morning to spend coordinating outfits. Anyone else relate?

I’ve put together some of my favorite WFH outfits below that I’ve been wearing on repeat this summer. What I love about all of these pieces is that they transition from work week to weekend so effortlessly. It’s safe to say that I’ve been getting a ton of wear out of all of them this season.

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Other A.M. Tips I Swear By

• I have to drink a good amount of water right away. Rehydrating after a full night of sleep always helps me wake up faster.
• I try really hard not to immediately wake up and check my emails. If you happen to read something negative right away, it sets a bad tone for the day. I always give myself some time to breathe + come alive before I try to tackle anything work related.
• I always have my phone on nighttime mode until 8 a.m., so that my A.M. routine isn’t interrupted by anyone’s texts or phone calls. I absolutely need the alone time before the craziness of the day begins. Everyone can wait until at least 8 a.m., right? ;-)

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