By Karla Walsh
With a cozy bed under you and a soft comforter (or weighted blanket!) floating on top, starting your day isn’t always easy.
And at least one celeb can relate: Lo Bosworth, founder and CEO of Love Wellness—who you may recognize from MTV’s Laguna Beach and The Hills back in the early 2000s—used to struggle with that “oh just one more minute then I’ll get moving!” feeling, too. That is, until she made a new morning rule: no more hitting the snooze button.
“I stopped pressing snooze on my alarm,” she says. “As hard as it can be to get moving when the alarm goes off, it really sets the tone for the day and helps me stress less later.” (ICYMI, Stress Less is one of the Nutritious Life pillars for living a healthy, energized life.)
Here’s how she sets herself up for success from the moment that alarm sounds at 7 a.m. until she sits down at her office desk.
RELATED: 5-Minute Morning Hacks for Less Stress Throughout the Day
7:00 a.m. Good morning, sunshine.
“My alarm goes off. I open my blinds to let some light in. I heard that getting a dose of sunlight first thing in the morning helps boost your mood and vitamin D production.”
The journal Environmental Health Perspectives stands behind this smart strategy: Morning sun triggers melatonin production later in the day to allow for sounder sleep that night, reduces PMS symptoms, and decreases the risk for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
7:15 a.m. Eliminate the clutter.
“I roll out of bed after checking a few emails. I’ve really learned that a relaxed morning is the key to setting myself up for the day, so I don’t like to rush if I can help it,” she says.
Your move? Delete any emails that don’t require a reply, then try starting the day with one of these wellness lattes in-hand.
7:20 a.m. Plan some face time.
Have you ever woken up feeling a bit puffy-eyed? Bosworth has a hack for that. “To help wake my face up and jumpstart lymphatic drainage, I head to the kitchen and grab my ice roller and gua sha from the freezer.”
Gua Sha massage, a popular traditional Chinese medicine treatment, involves using a smooth-edged massage tool (such as this jade gua sha board; $18, amazon.com) in strong, upward strokes over skin to release stiff muscles and increase circulation.
7:30 a.m. Java-o-clock.
Bosworth begins making her daily coffee, which she enjoys sans sweetener or creamer. “I haven’t always been a coffee drinker, but recently I’ve found I really love a simple cup of black pour-over coffee to start the day,” she says. Since Bosworth has been dabbling in—and loving—intermittent fasting, she enjoys the early energy boost when she’s not eating for a few more hours.
RELATED: How to Choose Coffee That’s Good for You and the Planet
7:45 a.m. Time to multi-task.
“I usually take my Love Wellness vitamins with my coffee. Metabolove, Sparkle Fiber, and Good Girl Probiotics are the ones I typically start my day with,” she says. This combo is said to improve gut health, which has been linked to everything from your emotions to your immunity. (BTW, here are three other stomach-smart supplements to consider.)
8:00 a.m. Save face.
Less is more for Bosworth. She washes her face, then applies Dr. Dennis Gross Stress Rescue Super Serum ($74, sephora.com). Next up is a lightweight moisturizer and her go-to daily SPF: Coola 360° Sun Silk Drops ($46, amazon.com). On top of that, she finishes with a little bit of lightweight makeup.
Her faves:
- Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation ($42, sephora.com)
- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Microfinishing Loose Powder ($34, amazon.com)
- It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara ($25, ulta.com)
8:20 a.m. 🎶 I do my hair toss.🎶
After taking care of her skin, Bosworth styles her hair and selects an outfit to wear at the office. “Some days I work out in the morning before I go to the office, and other days I work out after,” she says. “The days I exercise after, I’ll wear my workout outfit to the office to stay accountable!” (Hot tip: Consider these athleisure looks to follow suit.)
8:30 a.m. Find some fresh air.
Bosworth aims to be at work by 9 a.m. “I’m a short walk away, so I’ll pack my tote and head out the door. I love taking the time to walk through the park on my way in,” she says.
9:00 a.m. Go time.
“I spend the first 30 minutes at the office catching up on emails I might have missed from the night before,” Bosworth says. “ I save the next 30 minutes for catching up with members on my team.” Meetings (“and lots of them!”) typically fill up the rest of the day, which is why a grounded morning matters all the more.