The Morning Routines of Remarkable Women
August 10, 2017 | Filed in: Your Career
We’ve noticed a recurring theme among the remarkable women we’ve interviewed over the years: Many of them have structured morning routines that are integral to their daily productivity. Whether they get out of bed with a simple two-minute stretch or take several hours for uninterrupted brainstorming, these five women are a testament to the power of a consistent wake-up ritual. Below, we share their sunrise habits.
Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and co-founder of Ellevest
![](https://mdash.mmlafleur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sallie-Krawcheck-1-1024x683.jpg)
Sallie (right) wears the Lydia dress, and our CEO Sarah (left) wears the Walters top and the Mulberry skirt.
ON POWER BREAKFASTS: “Me and my cat, in my kitchen, with my Power bar and my coffee—generally at 4 a.m. I have the cat in my lap and computer at the ready. I get up super early because that’s when I do my best unguarded thinking. I wake up with about seven ideas, one of which might even be good.”
Ana Oliveira, president and CEO of the New York Women’s Foundation
![](https://mdash.mmlafleur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MBW-Ana-Oliveira-03-1024x1536.jpg)
Ana wears the Walters top and the Wells 2.0 jacket.
ON HITTING RESET: “I am Brazilian, and good coffee is a very important part my day. It provides moments when I take stock. I also have a routine that I do every morning, with exercises—yoga, stretching, and strength-building—for 25-35 minutes. I don’t technically meditate, but it’s a very introspective, quiet time, like a meditation in action and movement. That’s a very important time, and it solidifies my day… You have to leave room—for others, for regrouping, for having a little bit of ‘Yes!’”
Heather McGhee, president of Demos
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Heather wears the Tory 3.0 dress .
ON TRAVELING WITH EASE: “I always keep a suitcase packed, because I don’t unpack between trips…When I’m in a hotel, I order room service in my room for breakfast so I don’t waste time going downstairs in the morning. I put the order on my doorknob before I go to bed. I can get on my laptop first thing and then the doorbell rings and I can eat and then I’m ready to go for the day.”
Lucy Lyle, CEO and founder of Perch
![](https://mdash.mmlafleur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MML-LucyLyle-2262-1024x1536-1024x1536.jpg)
Lucy wears the Arbus sweater and the Rachel dress.
ON DAY-TO-DAY HABITS: “I have a strict morning routine: Stretch, meditation, gratitude practice. Then I time-block my schedule. I ask myself: What are the three things I want to have happen today? What meetings do I have, and is there enough buffer time to prep beforehand? You think that you can outsmart the system, but it turns out that best practices really help. I also cut off my internet at 10:30 p.m. I know that my self-control at that hour is terrible, and I’m not getting that much high-quality work done. It’s good to remember that the balance of sleep and exercise actually helps my work productivity. There’s no way of cutting those corners.”
Sloane Crosley, author
![](https://mdash.mmlafleur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/sloan4-1-1024x1536-1024x1536.jpeg)
Sloane wears the Infinity scarf and the McCarren trench.
ON FIRST-THING WRITING: “I shower right when I get out of bed, and put on jeans and a t-shirt and a sweater or a cardigan. There’s no shoes involved, but sometimes I wear a little bit of makeup, just to feel human. Then I write whatever is most important to me, or whatever is most difficult—usually it’s the same thing. I go for about two to four hours, until lunch, and then I make myself leave the house, because otherwise it gets creepy.”