1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Hi. This is Laura Vandercamp. I'm a mother of five, 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: an author, journalist, and speaker. And this is Sarah Hartunger. 3 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: I'm a mother of three, a practicing physician and blogger. 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: On the side, we are two working parents who love 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: our careers and our families. Welcome to best of both worlds. 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: Here we talk about how real women manage work, family, 7 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: and time for fun. From figuring out childcare to mapping 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: out long term career goals. We want you to get 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: the most out of life. Welcome to best of both worlds. 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: This is Laura. This is episode two hundred and fourteen, 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: which is first airing in early September of twenty twenty one. 12 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: I will be interviewing Liz Baker Plosser, who is the 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Women's Health magazine, on the topic 14 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: of how to own your Morning. Liz has a new 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: book out called in Fact, Own Your Morning, and she 16 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: shares with us some of her wisdom and how to 17 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: make our mornings better. So as longtime listeners know, Sarah 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: is the old to own your morning kind of person. Sarah, 19 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: you can tell remind people a little bit about your 20 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: morning routine, but also how it's changed now that your 21 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: kids are back in school. Yeah, so the personal parts 22 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: that I do for me haven't changed too much. But 23 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: I will briefly go through a typical morning with the 24 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: caveat that I would say one out of four mornings, 25 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: I just scrap it all and sleep until the last 26 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: possible second because I'm tired, and I think that is 27 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: just reality, all right. So normally I'm up at four 28 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: forty five, which means I kind of get downstairs by 29 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: just before five. I've set the coffee up the night before, 30 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: so that's there, and brood, and then I basically start 31 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: with reading. I usually that is when I read nonfiction. 32 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: Right now, I am reading Smart but Scattered, which is 33 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: about executive functioning kids. You might imagine why I'm reading 34 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: that anyway, So and then I'll read for like ten 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes, and then I will do headspace for ten minutes. 36 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: I usually just do their meditation of the day so 37 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: I just don't have to think or anything. And then 38 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: I will sit down and plan my day. I look 39 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: at my planner to figure out like what's going on, 40 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: and I basically write out my daily layout and figure 41 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 1: out what my priorities are. And then I usually write 42 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: a quick blog post, and then usually by that point 43 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: it's right around six am, and I start my workout 44 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: and I try to be done my workout by like 45 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: six forty five because that is when the kids need 46 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: to get up, and either Josh gets them up while 47 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: I shower. It kind of depends on what's happening from there, 48 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: but six forty five is when kid time begins, so 49 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: I guess I have about two full hours for my 50 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: own stuff, which includes my workout, and then the kid 51 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: part of the morning starts. And it depends who takes 52 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: the kids to school, but we do only have one 53 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: drop off currently. It's either myself, Josh, or our nanny, 54 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: and we've usually put that on calendar the week before 55 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: so you kind of know what day it is, and 56 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: we get the kids up. They're up for a total 57 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: of a it's about like forty five minutes from them 58 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: waking up to them leaving the house. Their uniforms are 59 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: kind of out to make that easy. We give them breakfast, 60 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: and that next forty five minutes as a whirlwind of 61 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: poking and prodding children, and then we try to get 62 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: out the door by about seven thirty five to do 63 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: drop off and then I'm either dropping off on the 64 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: way to work, or Josh is dropping off or our nanny. 65 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: Some mornings I do have to leave earlier for work, 66 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: so that changes things a little bit. But yeah, it's 67 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: pretty solid, and by the way, I do almost none 68 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: of these on weekends. The only exception is that if 69 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: my husband is on call and I feel like I'm 70 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: going to have very little time, I do try to 71 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: get up and work out if I'm not overly tired. Yeah, 72 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: it's an impressive morning routine two hours before the kids 73 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: are up. I cannot even fathom waking up two hours 74 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: before my children are up. But I would put out 75 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: that you have sort of not done as much like 76 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: adult me time at night then, like you don't stay 77 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: up later after the kids go to bed, because that 78 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: wouldn't work with waking up at four forty five am. Correct, 79 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: I'm usually like asleep by like nine fifteen, nine thirty. Yeah, 80 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: so that's the seven and a half hours past that 81 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: you would need even to seven and a half. Yeah, 82 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: that comes out exactly in fact, which is smart. As 83 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: many people get the idea like, oh, I'm going to 84 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: wake up bright and early, and then they don't go 85 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: to bed at a time that enables them to get 86 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: up bright and early, and it's just asking for trouble. Yeah, 87 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: my morning routine looks nothing like that my current and 88 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: has been basically for the past twenty months, not coincidentally, 89 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: as I wake up with Henry and feed him and 90 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: then deal with him for the first little bit, so 91 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: he has got a lot better. Also, as I discuss 92 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: in Our Love of the Week later, there are a 93 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: great many nights where I am sleeping in the guest 94 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: room so that I do not hear him. My husband 95 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: is capable of sleeping through small baby noises in a 96 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: way that I am not. Henry still sleeps in our 97 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,799 Speaker 1: closet until we move to the new house, so I 98 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: am in the guest room and I can sleep all 99 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: night when that happens, and Michael just doesn't wake up. 100 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: But anyway, more on that in Our Love of the Week. 101 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: But he usually brings to me when he does wake 102 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: up in the morning, that tends to be six to 103 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: six thirty. I feed Henry, play with him for a bit, 104 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: hand him back to Michael seven seven fifteen, whatever point 105 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: I get tired of him, and then we trade off showers. 106 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: Michael's taking Henry outside with the dog to go do 107 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: the dog's morning routine. Then we have breakfast with the kids, 108 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 1: usually as they get up, in various orders depending on 109 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: who has camp and who does not. But this is 110 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: all going to change as I'm as this is airing. 111 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: The kids are still not back in school. We don't 112 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: start till September nine. Everything is going to change with that. 113 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: We have three different start times, we'll have three different 114 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: bus pickups. I have no idea what times those will be. 115 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: We get that information later in this week when we're 116 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: recording this in late August. So really my mornings will 117 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: be determined by that. I assume that I will generally 118 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: try to get up. I mean, I'll still wake up 119 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: with her. I assume that the wake up will still 120 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,119 Speaker 1: be six to six thirty, get kids going a little 121 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 1: earlier in the morning routine rather than later in the 122 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: morning routine. I don't know, Sarah, is there any hope 123 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: for doing anything other than baby feeding and kid getting 124 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: ready during the mornings. I think it depends on what 125 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: that bus schedule looks like. But I'm not sure. I mean, 126 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: I was just thinking about it, like I think my 127 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: need for a morning routine and your need for a 128 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: morning routine are different because you are you have a 129 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: more flexible work day and can incorporate some of those 130 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: tasks into your regular day, whereas I most of the 131 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,160 Speaker 1: time really can't. Some days I can, but most of 132 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: the time I can't. So that's I don't know if 133 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: you need to pressure yourself, although I know this episode 134 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: is all about the value of a great morning routine, 135 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: so I certainly don't want to ruin any inspiration that 136 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: you've gotten from that discussion. Yeah, well, now it's just that. Yeah, 137 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: I mean, I've written books about how morning routines are great. 138 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: People want to check out what the most successful people 139 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: do before breakfast, which is a click bait title if 140 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: I've ever written one. But I, yeah, it's not really 141 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: happening in my life. But that's also because, as you said, 142 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: I don't particularly need it. If I want to run 143 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: later in the day, I generally can. I often like 144 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: to run mid afternoon, not when it's ninety degrees as 145 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: it is right now, but during nine ten months of 146 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: the year, it's possible to run in mid afternoon and 147 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: not have it be ridiculous. I can also if I 148 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: wanted to meditate for ten minutes during the day. I'm 149 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: sure I could meditate for ten minutes today, no one's 150 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: you know, I control my own schedule and so I 151 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: could could do that. And same with things like creative 152 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: writing or blogging. I mean, I consider that part of 153 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: my actual job, as opposed to a sideline to the job, 154 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: so that can also be done during the workday, and 155 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: that's probably something for many of our listeners to think 156 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: about too. Like the reason to use a morning is 157 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: if there are things that are important to you that 158 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: life has a way of crowding out. If you do 159 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: them first, you are more likely to get to them. 160 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: If life isn't crowding those out for you, then there's 161 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: no real reason to wake up unless you really particularly 162 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: enjoy that morning quiet and want to have it to yourself. 163 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: But if that's not the case, then you know, you 164 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: wake up when you wake up. But Liz is definitely 165 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: a morning person. We're going to hear all about her mornings, 166 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: her very specific wake up that she did pre pandemic. 167 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: But this is great, so we'll just get right to 168 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: that interview. Well, I'm so excited to be here with 169 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: Liz Plosser, who is going to talk about mornings with us. So, Liz, 170 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: could you introduce yourself to our listeners. Yes, hello, Laura 171 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: and everybody. My name is Liz Plosser, and I'm the 172 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Women Self and you are also 173 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: a mom of several kids, right, Yes, I have three 174 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 1: young children, Charlie and Lucy who are ten. They are 175 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 1: boy girl twins, and a little guy, Georgie, who is six. Yeah. 176 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: So a full house there. And so you decided to 177 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: write this book called Own Your Morning, and we are 178 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: a big fan of morning routines here at best of 179 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: both worlds. What drew you to this topic? Yes, well, 180 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: mornings have always been something special to me. I love 181 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: starting the day with things that fill me up and 182 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: make me feel ready to tackle all the twists and 183 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: turns that are in front of me. So it's always 184 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 1: been a bit of a personal passion. But when I 185 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 1: started as the editor in chief of Women's Healf a 186 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: little over three and a half years ago now, we 187 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: introduced a franchise called Own Your Morning, where we followed 188 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: a different woman every month in a page of the magazine, 189 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: sort of itinerary style. She would take us through what 190 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: time her morning alarm went off, what she drank or 191 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: ate to fuel herself up, did she exercise or meditate, 192 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: did she read a book? And our audience just loved it, 193 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: loved hearing about all the different rituals and routines that 194 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: women from all over the world, from all different types 195 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: of professions, all different backgrounds, were doing to power themselves 196 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: up for their day. So it just has taken on 197 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: a life of its own over the last few years, 198 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: living on our Instagram, in video series, always making an 199 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: appearance and cover stories, and now it is a book 200 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: that I've written. Yeah, and for our listeners should know, 201 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: it's it's kind of styled like Women's Health, right, it's 202 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: a book, but it's got a lot of the sort 203 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: of visual appeal of Women's Health magazine as well. Yes, 204 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: definitely there's a lot of like saturated happy colors. We 205 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: are big fans of emojis of Women's Health, so you'll 206 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: see lightning bolts and twinkling stars and musical notes, those 207 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: sorts of things. But yeah, a lot of the different 208 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: rubrics that pop up in our magazine and in our 209 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: digital stories make appearances throughout this book. And even some 210 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: of the editors of Women's Health wrote different essays throughout 211 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 1: and a lot of the women who are luminaries in 212 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: the wellness space, whether they are advisory board members to 213 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: Women's Health, are just women we've featured throughout our pages 214 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: make appearances as well, sharing their morning routines their essays. 215 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: So it's a whole giant Women's health slash Liz LoveFest exactly. 216 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: So tell us about your morning routine and how it 217 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: has evolved over the years. Maybe you can tell us 218 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 1: what you're doing currently and then give us sort of 219 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: a tour of times in the past. Definitely, this is 220 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: a bit of a strange time as we are preparing 221 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: for fall to come. You know, it's still summer days, 222 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: my children are out of school. I'm not commuting into 223 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: Hearst Tower right now, which is where the Women's Health 224 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: offices are. It's a little bit wonky, which I actually 225 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: find to be a challenge in some ways without that 226 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: structure and routine of like got to get the kids 227 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: to the bus at eight o four am, got to 228 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: be at my desk by nine to fifteen am. On 229 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: the upside, it does allow me to sleep a little 230 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: bit more since I don't have to squeeze in so 231 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: so many things before you know, the tornado of getting 232 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: the kids and myself out the door begins. But I'm 233 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: still an early riser. I'm up most mornings by six am, 234 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: partially because I love seeing the sunrise, partially because I 235 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: have no choice because I have a nine month old 236 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: Bernice Mountain dog puppy named Willa who is up and 237 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: at him and once her walk in the morning. But 238 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: my morning always begins with coffee. That makes lots of 239 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: appearances in this book. And I always like to sweat 240 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: in the morning, So even if it's just stretching or 241 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: some yoga moves, or if it's a run or a 242 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,319 Speaker 1: more hardcore kettlebell kind of like weightlifting type of workout, 243 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: I find that when I move my body in the morning, 244 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: I am just much more confident, calm, and clear headed 245 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 1: and ready for the rest of the day. So those 246 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: are kind of my non negotiables. And I would say 247 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: whether it's now or you know, rewind to pre pandemic, 248 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: when my mornings were incredibly busy and I was up 249 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: at five seventeen and you know, in the gym and 250 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: home and showered by seven am, or even rewinding further 251 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: back to when I was a kid and could barely 252 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: pull my head off the pillow in the morning. My 253 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: dad would often pull me out of bed on Saturday 254 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: and Sunday mornings. We would go play tennis or go 255 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 1: for a jog together. It would always end in coffee home. 256 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: So yeah, those are kind of the staples of a 257 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: Liz Mourning and it just the alarm clock has varied, 258 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: and as I've added more children and animals to the mix, 259 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: it has become a little crazier and more chaotic as 260 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 1: the years have gone by. I was gonna say, I 261 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: wonder if you could help our listeners out who are 262 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: dealing with very young children right now who may wake unpredictably. 263 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 1: Because there was a time when Liz's Morning featured infant twins, 264 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: for instance, I imagine it looked a little bit different then. Yes, no, 265 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: for sure. I mean, when you have babies or puppies 266 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: who are getting you up at all hours, you're just 267 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: in survival mode. It's constant sleep deprivation. I would say 268 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: that the ethos of this book, which is very much 269 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: about finding your core values and knowing what are the 270 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: non negotiables that help you feel like a more fulfilled, 271 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: happy human, whether that's you know, nutrition, or family time 272 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: or taking time to write or meditate. I would encourage you, 273 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: as challenging as it is, to build even the microist 274 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: of those moments into your morning, even when you are 275 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: in like oh my gosh, you know, I can barely 276 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: keep my eyes open. If you know food and healthy 277 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: living and nutrition are important to you, it could be 278 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: as simple as having a bowl of green apples on 279 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: your kitchen counter that you sort of glance at while 280 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: you're up with your baby nursing him or her. If 281 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: family time is super important to you, that doesn't mean 282 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: you have to call your mom or your sister and 283 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: have like a forty five minute long FaceTime or conversation. 284 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: It could just be sending a quick text, you know, 285 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: with a kissy emoji and saying I love you, I'm 286 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: thinking about you, or even just giving your sleeping child 287 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: a quick hug. So I'm all about making sure that 288 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: you create a nod to those things that are super 289 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: important to you, but don't guilt yourself or turn them 290 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: into some you know, just like mammoths, huge undertaking that 291 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: become overwhelming and not fun and sort of defeats the 292 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: whole purpose exactly, Well, we're going to take a real 293 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: quick break and we'll be right back with Liz Plosser. 294 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: So I am here with Liz Plosser, who is the 295 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Women's Health magazine and is the 296 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: author of the brand new book Own Your Morning. Are 297 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: talking all about morning routines here. You said something earlier 298 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: about waking up precisely at five seventeen. Back in the 299 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: day before the pandemic, had a lot of people, including you, 300 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: working from home, so you arrived at five seventeen somehow. 301 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: Why don't you talk through the process of coming up 302 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: with that time, because I think what it's getting at 303 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: and the idea of how you map out the morning 304 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: could be very helpful to our listeners who are trying 305 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: to figure out how to make a morning schedule as well. Yes, 306 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you asked about five, Steve. This is 307 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: a funny one. People are always so curious to know 308 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: what the big deal is with five seventeen, and so 309 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: it's really it's quite simple. Seven is my favorite number. 310 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: I was born on April seven. Growing up playing sports, 311 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: I always had a seven on the back of my 312 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: basketball and soccer jerseys. Seven lucky charms hanging on necklaces 313 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: and that sort of thing. And so I realized years 314 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: back that putting us seven into my alarm just like 315 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: felt good. You know, that number brings me so much 316 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: joy and hope and good vibes. It's like, why not 317 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: begin your day with a number that powers you up 318 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: like that? So it's all about the energy for me. 319 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: And then secondly, and this is just a psychological thing, 320 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: but I firmly believe that if you set your alarm 321 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: to an odd number, it makes it feel more urgent 322 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: and it makes me less likely to press this snooze button. 323 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: So if I set it for five fifteen or five 324 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: twenty or five point thirty, I really feel like there's 325 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: something just like a mental thing that would enable me 326 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 1: to press the snooze button one more time. But there's 327 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: just like an urgency and a like, okay, this is 328 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: happening five point seventeen. Let's go so full disclosure, Laura, 329 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: because I know you love science just as much as 330 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: I do. I have yet to find a study that 331 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: has looked at this carefully and confirms it. But give 332 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: it a try and see if you don't agree with me. Well, 333 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure we have a lot of people who do 334 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 1: struggle in fact with the snooze button. You mentioned that 335 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: when you were a little kid, you know, didn't necessarily 336 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: want to get up, So it's not that you've been 337 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: a natural morning person your whole life. How can people 338 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: start to get more of this sense of mourning energy 339 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: and loving mornings. I think we have a lot of 340 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: people who are like, well, I'm not that kind of person. 341 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: My co host wakes up at four fifty every morning 342 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: to do amazing things I do not voluntarily. So why 343 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: didn't you talk a little bit about conquering the snooze 344 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: button and sort of getting more excited about mournings. What 345 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: is that tape? Yes? So I love sharing that I 346 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: was not always a morning person because I feel like 347 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: I'm the example of someone who can make it happen. 348 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: It is a big joke in my family with my 349 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: parents that I love to sleep in, And I mentioned 350 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,120 Speaker 1: how my dad would like knock on my door over 351 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: and over saying come on, Liz Boo, time to go 352 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: for you know, you said you'd hit tennis balls with 353 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: me or whatever it was, and I was like, no, no, no. 354 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: And I see that in my kids too. I have 355 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: a couple who like to stay glued to the pillow 356 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: till the last possible second, and then my little guy, 357 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: Charlie is very much an early bird. So the cool 358 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: thing is that you can definitely train yourself to rise 359 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: earlier if that is something that's important to you. I 360 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: talked to all sorts of experts for this book, and 361 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: for starters, you can begin by incrementally setting your alarm 362 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: clock for ten minutes earlier at a time to slowly 363 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: adjust yourself to that earlier rise time. There's also a 364 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 1: chapter in the book all about sleep, which felt kind 365 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: of funny to write a book about nighttime routines because 366 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: this is a morning book. But the truth is that 367 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: what happens the night before that is what sets you 368 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: up to have a great morning and to be able 369 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 1: to rise early and not be exhausted and actually get 370 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: up and tackle your day. So there's lots of great 371 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: information about how to wind down and some different rituals 372 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: and tricks that experts and women in the wellness space 373 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: have put into practice in their own lives to make 374 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: sure that they are ready to go the next morning. 375 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: And then to your question about how to make it exciting, 376 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: I mean, for me, number one is coffee. I will 377 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: often think about coffee as I'm putting myself to bed 378 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: the night before. So I know not everybody is into 379 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: caffeine or coffee, but find something that fires you up. 380 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: If it's a green smoothie that you're really excited about, 381 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: or a new cereal you want to try. Maybe you're 382 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: into macha or hot water with lemon, just something that 383 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: you know you're excited to get up and and drink 384 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: or eat. I would even take it a step further 385 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 1: and maybe you have a really cute mug with a 386 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: cute little saying on it, or picture of your kids 387 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: or your nieces or nephews, something that makes you smile 388 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: in the morning. Those are tiny little things, but they 389 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: definitely do add up when you're groggy and you're tempted 390 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: to press the snooze button. And then lastly, I would 391 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,199 Speaker 1: say there's a lot of science about exposing yourself to 392 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: sunlight as quickly as you can, so there's a lot 393 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 1: of benefits from that just to sort of wake up 394 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: your circadian rhythm. There's also some really cool research about 395 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: how the world literally looks more beautiful in sunlight. So 396 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: it's not a surprise that we're all we all like 397 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: ooh and awe over them and love to take pictures 398 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: of them. So, yeah, get yourself a few things to 399 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: look forward to, whether it's a caffeinated beverage or some 400 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: a great music playlist, and then definitely some sunlight and 401 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: outdoors time. And how do you wind down at night? 402 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: Like what time do you go to bed? And how 403 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: do you make sure that you get in bed on time? 404 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: Because I know a lot of people struggle with having 405 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: good intentions for going to bed on time, but then 406 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: you know, it's quiet, the kids are asleep. It's like 407 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: the one time you have for yourself, so it's hard 408 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: to end that and go to bed. So what time 409 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: do you go to bed? And how do you get 410 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: yourself wound down for the evening? Yeah, you're so right, 411 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: And full disclosure, I am not perfect at this by 412 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: any means, but I have gotten better at it over 413 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 1: the years and sort of think of my nighttime routine 414 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: as like a superpower of mine. In many ways, I 415 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: just know when it's time to go to bed that 416 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: I got to get myself into the bed tucked in 417 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: as quickly as possible. So for me, because I'm rising 418 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: so early and I will unabashedly tell you that I 419 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: am one of those people who wants to sleep eight 420 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:50,919 Speaker 1: hours a night. I know many people who are like 421 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: thriving on four or five hours. They're amazing, They defy 422 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: science and all the odds. That is not me. Most 423 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 1: people need about seven. Quite honestly, I would prefer if 424 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: I could get nine. So for me, that means that 425 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: I'm tucking myself into bed by nine point thirty in 426 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: the evening. I recently have become much better at logging 427 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: off from my phone. So as tempting as it is 428 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: to scroll Instagram one last time or do you know, 429 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: one last read through Apple News to see the headlines 430 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: of the day, I have learned that that stuff like 431 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: hypes me up and gets my heart rate going. You know, 432 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: you can wait till tomorrow, after you've gotten through your 433 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,479 Speaker 1: morning routine to see what the latest is with the 434 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: coronavirus or the political world, or climate change, or you 435 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,920 Speaker 1: know whatever TV show that you're interested in right now 436 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: and want to look up. So try your hardest to 437 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: not get into that stuff and actually pick up a 438 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: print book if possible, to wind down with when you're 439 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: in your bed, and then just to back up a 440 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: quick second. I also what I have what I call 441 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,719 Speaker 1: a sleep hygiene routine, which is I like to take 442 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: a hot shower before bed, just like a rents off. 443 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: I think of it as like rinsing the day off 444 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: of my body, if you want to take it a 445 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: step further. And I didn't get into this in the 446 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 1: book though maybe my second book, but I do have 447 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: a ritual of looking in the mirror and sort of 448 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: thinking about the powerful interactions I had that day with 449 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: different people, whether positive or negative or even not necessarily 450 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 1: one of the other, and taking a moment to like 451 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: close my eyes, think of that person, thank them for 452 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: that interaction, and then say, I'm letting that go. And 453 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,639 Speaker 1: I know this sounds a little new agy, but for me, 454 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: it kind of it just helps clean off my side 455 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: of the street before bed and feel like, you know, 456 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: I don't have people, places and things swirling around, things 457 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: left unsaid. I'm just sort of letting go, letting the 458 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: good stuff, the bad stuff, the whatever stuff, letting it 459 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: all go so that I can relax into my bed 460 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: at night. That is awesome. It's probably something we should 461 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: all look into doing. But we're also you know, we 462 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: love mornings here but we're also very curious always about 463 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: people with big, demanding careers, a lot of responsibilities, and 464 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: who do have larger families like you do. Any strategies 465 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 1: that you have found particularly useful or helpful, like help 466 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: you with sanity, Like I'm just imagining over the last year, 467 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:19,879 Speaker 1: you're attempting to run a magazine remotely from while your 468 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: kids are at home. You know, how did you get 469 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: through that? What strategies helped you come out of it? 470 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: Sounding still fairly positive to me? Oh, this is this 471 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: is an amazing question. I don't know how we all 472 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: got through it. It has been a wild adventure, right, 473 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 1: But no, I mean, first of all, I feel incredibly, 474 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: incredibly fortunate because I have an amazing partner, my husband Matt. 475 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: He also has a big, full time job. And when 476 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: we're both working remote from our apartment in Brooklyn, you know, 477 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: our desks are like three feet apart and our kids 478 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: are running around in our zoom backgrounds. But it's like 479 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,919 Speaker 1: a teamwork thing, honestly that we're like right now, he 480 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 1: is on a call for his work and I'm chatting 481 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 1: with you, and so it's sort of a divide and conquer, 482 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: And hey, I have this really important thing happening at 483 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: this time. Can you be the one to manage the kids, 484 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: because we're both on calls right now. Now we've put 485 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 1: our kids into action and the older ones are sort 486 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: of taking watch over the little guy and our puppy. 487 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,640 Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean it's a big adventure every day. 488 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: That's the only way I can describe it. I think 489 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: one benefit, and something that I never could have imagined 490 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 1: pre pandemic, is being more open about my family life 491 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: with my coworkers and my managers and even external people 492 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: I work with at Women's Health. You know, they see 493 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: my puppy running around in the background, or my kids. 494 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 1: I vividly remember when my son George came up and 495 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: was pulling on me to approve him more roadblocks time 496 00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: while I was like leading this incredibly important meeting with 497 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: the president of my company. So I feel grateful to 498 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: have had those peaks into my coworkers and colleagues universes. 499 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: And I don't think I could have made this all 500 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 1: happen unless I had just gotten what's the word, I 501 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: had just embraced that that, like, you know what, I'm 502 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: not hiding the fact that I have a crazy, chaotic 503 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: life happening in the background, and thank goodness, because I 504 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: don't think I could have survived it without that. And 505 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: then the last thing I'll say is, you know, I 506 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: mentioned this a few minutes back, but it truly does 507 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: go back to my morning. When I do the things 508 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: that set me up to have a good day, such 509 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: as getting in a workout, having some quiet time to 510 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 1: meditate and journal for a few minutes, I can just 511 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: handle all the craziness that undoubtedly will unfold throughout the day. 512 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: So that is why, especially as where many of us 513 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: are starting to go back to our offices, this ball 514 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: and school is gearing up again. I'm hoping that this 515 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: book is kind of hitting at the perfect time as 516 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: people are like, oh my goodness, they are you know, 517 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: it's a new season. It's kind of like the new 518 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: year of our professional and academic careers. It's a great 519 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: time to really think hard about our mornings and how 520 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: can I make that work harder for me so that 521 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: I can manage the big job and the big family 522 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: and all the other unknowns that will pop up throughout 523 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: the day. Yes, it could be a year with a 524 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: lot of unknowns. We'll see how how schooling happens and 525 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: hopefully keeps happening and doesn't stop happening for random weeks 526 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: here and there. We're all going back, Yes, exactly, well, Lizen. 527 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: We always end with what we call our love of 528 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: the week, which is something that's you know, working really 529 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: well for us right now. And I can go first 530 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,479 Speaker 1: to give you a minute or two to think just 531 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: anything that's you know you're enjoying, could be book, podcast, song, 532 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: product thing. For me, it's a concept which is, you know, 533 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 1: laugh at this. Sleeping in the guest room. So my 534 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: toddler sleeps in the master bedroom closet it and miraculously 535 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 1: I seem to be the one who hears him first 536 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: if he makes noise in the middle of the night, 537 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: and so when I go sleep in another room he sleeped. 538 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: If he wakes up, my husband either just like won't 539 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: hear him for the first few minutes and then he'll 540 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: usually quiet himself back town, whereas you know I would 541 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: have heard him. So I'm like, hey, if I go 542 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 1: sleep in the guest room, I actually sleep all night. 543 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,439 Speaker 1: So that has been making my mornings a lot better lately. 544 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: How about you? That is genius, Laura. I love that 545 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: I am as you. As you're speaking, I'm my wheels 546 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: are turning, and I'm trying to imagine how we could 547 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: hack that for our dog Willa, who is our version 548 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: of a toga, because you're the one who hears me 549 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: as well. Right, what is it I wish I had, 550 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: like the male ability to sleep? Yeah, yeah, it's not 551 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: in our DNA. Noing that I will add one that 552 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: I've been doing for about the past month, so surprise, surprise, 553 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: it's a little bonus mourning ritual that I've added. I 554 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: write in the book about the power of meditation and 555 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: give some journaling prompts and some meditation prompts, And one 556 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: I didn't include in the book, which I just learned 557 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: and I'm loving, is to start the day. When I 558 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: begin that, when I open up my journal and do 559 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: my writing, to pick three adjectives that are positive that 560 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: I believe describe me, but more importantly, that I want 561 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: to bring to life that day. So you know, it 562 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: could be because of a big presentation I have later 563 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: that day. Maybe I want power or strength or those 564 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: types of things. Maybe something hard is happening, like I'm 565 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: about to do a travel day with my family, so 566 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: maybe i want patience or flexibility, or it could be 567 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: curiosity or willingness. You know, the sky's the limit. And 568 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: it's a bit of a riff on setting an intention 569 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: for the day, but I find just picking three positive 570 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: adjectives is very simple. It takes a minute to think 571 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: about you know what describes me, but more you know 572 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: what do I want to exemplify that day? And it 573 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: has been a total game changer in my life. Well, 574 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: that was awesome. Just a side note for our listeners. 575 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: Liz and I were talking while she was off in 576 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: a cabin in the woods. Her internet had a few issues, 577 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: although the recording is great. Thank you Squadcast for creating 578 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 1: local tracks so we don't have the connection issues that 579 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: we've had with some other recording software. But before Liz 580 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: was cut off, I mean she she did want to 581 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 1: share one more thing with our listeners, which is that 582 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 1: you can find her book Own Your Morning on Amazon 583 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: and in bookstores today which is September seven, when this 584 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: is first airing. You can connect with Women's Health that's 585 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: her magazine, at Women's healthmag dot com and also at 586 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 1: Women's Health Mag on all social platforms. You can also 587 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 1: connect with Liz personally. She really wanted people to do 588 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: that at Liz Ploser so l I Z P L 589 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: O S S E R. And if you tag own 590 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: your morning, she's going to be really excited and share 591 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: your morning winds. So please take advantage of that and 592 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: connect with Liz because she is lovely. So now moving 593 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: to our question. This is from a listener who says 594 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:16,239 Speaker 1: that she's paid there's a lot of attention paid, in 595 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: particular by me to the benefits of working from home, 596 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: but our listener dislikes it. She knows that some people 597 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: don't feel that way. Obviously, there's a lot of people 598 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 1: would like to keep working from home, even post pandemic, 599 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: but she really wants to go back to work. In person, 600 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: she finds herself distracted by being at home, even when 601 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: she has childcare or an empty house. She brings her 602 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: own lunch to the office and snacks less when the 603 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: kitchen isn't four feet from her desk. She does a 604 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: run commute she goes to the office, so it's like 605 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 1: she's got this exercise built in really great mutine. She 606 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: likes dressing up and going to different neighborhoods. She also 607 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: likes feeling as though work and home wives are separate, 608 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: and during the pandemic, she has felt like she is 609 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: constantly toggling back and forth. So do you guys want 610 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: to talk a little bit about the benefits of coming 611 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: back to the office. Are there benefits to in person work? So, Sarah, 612 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: you have mixed feelings on this right you talk about 613 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: You know, though, the more that I have done a mix, 614 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 1: the more that I am convinced I would not want 615 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: to be one hundred percent remote. I do feel that 616 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: I if I'm by myself too many days in a 617 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: row it work, I don't know. I crave the structure 618 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 1: and the imposed structure, and the seeing of other people 619 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: and the leaving the house. So I one hundred percent 620 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 1: get what you're saying for me right now, the sweet 621 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: spot is usually three days two to three days at work, 622 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 1: although lately it's been more three and two days at home. 623 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: And I also, yeah, you mentioned that you'd even dislike 624 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,479 Speaker 1: it when the kids are when the house is empty. 625 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,040 Speaker 1: I really dislike it when the house is not empty 626 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: because I just find it incredibly distracting. I think you 627 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: have to look for ways to bring some of those 628 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 1: things that separate your work life and also bring those 629 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: rituals you enjoy into remote work if you're forced to 630 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: say at home for longer, such as either working another 631 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: location replicating your run commute, maybe you're going to run 632 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 1: to a park and back or something like that. You 633 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: could do a like a walking meeting with somebody where 634 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: you're both on a phone and you walk together, so 635 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: you feel like you have that togetherness and that being 636 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: out and about kind of a feeling. So I think 637 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: there are ways to bring some of the aspects of 638 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: the benefits of being in the office to the home 639 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: environment so you can get the best of both worlds. 640 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: Sorry I had to, but if you're just looking for us, 641 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: for someone to say, yes, you're right, Working remotely is 642 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: not the end all be all for everyone. I am 643 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:46,719 Speaker 1: right there with you, so I see you. Yeah. I mean, 644 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: there's obviously some nice aspects of the office, and we 645 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: often feel more professional if we are put together and 646 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: if we have gone somewhere creating that separation. So you know, 647 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people will discover that a 648 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: hybrid approach, which is the best of both worlds. That 649 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: you know, there are upsides to seeing your colleagues in person. 650 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 1: There are certainly nice things about having that structured environment 651 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: five days a week maybe overkill for a great many jobs, 652 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,279 Speaker 1: and so finding a way to do it. Sarah's doing 653 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: three days in two days home really could be a 654 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 1: great option for many people, and ideally, coming out of 655 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: the pandemic, a lot of organizations will move to something 656 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:28,719 Speaker 1: like that. But we shall see how this plays out. 657 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: And if you want to go in five days a 658 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: week beause I guess this listener wants to, then she 659 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:34,399 Speaker 1: can be there by herself two days a week where 660 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 1: all other people are gone. I don't know. We'll see 661 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,320 Speaker 1: how that plays out. I was also just going to 662 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: mention since she mentioned separation, that shut down rituals of 663 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: some kind can help. So think about what steps you 664 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: might want to just officially open and close your workday. 665 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: Mine is very unelaborate right now. I tend to just slam, 666 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: not slam, but shut my laptop and scream down the 667 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 1: stairs I'm gone. So it could be simple as that, 668 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:04,839 Speaker 1: but maybe you want something more elaborate to quick All right, Well, 669 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 1: this has been best of both worlds. I have been 670 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,720 Speaker 1: interviewing Liz Baker Plasar on how to own your morning. 671 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: We will be back with more next week. On how 672 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: to make work and life fit together. Thanks for listening. 673 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 1: You can find me Sarah at the shoebox dot com 674 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:24,399 Speaker 1: or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, and you can 675 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This has 676 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join us 677 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 1: next time for more on making work and life work together.