For years, people have been captivated by the quest to optimise their mornings, a fascination reflected in the global success of best-sellers like The 5 AM Club and Atomic Habits. There is even a podcast, Power Hour, that talks to leaders and explores exactly what would happen if you dedicated just one hour each day to improving yourself and your life.
Why this obsession? Because a well-crafted morning routine sets the tone for the entire day. Many renowned leaders attribute their overall success to the habits they cultivate in those first crucial hours. Our Live Well Festival partner, The Organic Pharmacy, believes that a good routine can help us carve out valuable time for ourselves ahead of our busy schedules, so we explore how the ambitious women from our community use their mornings to set themselves up for success.
Making time for self care
Making time to practise self-care in the morning can not only reduce anxiety and build your resilience to stress, but can also act as an important reminder to take some time for yourself. In an interview with headspace, career coach and writer Marty Nemko said that “modern life, increasingly defined by unpredictability, can be anxiety-provoking, and routines provide an anchor of predictability.”
Isabel Pegg, Head of Trading for the luxury division at The Hut Group manages the trade team and works closely with marketing and buying in her day-to-day. Isabel uses her morning to set her up for the day and she says “for me, the more prepared I am, the easier it is and so preparation is key!” She usually starts her day by heading to the gym, sharing that “I'm a big believer in self-care. The gym is my way of preparing mentally and physically for the day ahead and gets me in the right mindset, and starting the day with something just for me.”
It’s a sentiment shared by AllBright’s very own Head of Marketing, Ella Simpson, who believes that “anything that uplifts you can be considered as self-care.” For Ella, skincare is her morning self-care moment. She says “I never skip it. I’ve been a skincare obsessive for a long time now and whilst my routine isn’t complicated (cleanser, exfoliant, serum, eye cream, moisturiser), I consider it a non-negotiable.”
Ella explains that adopting a daily skincare routine can be daunting due to the overwhelming amount of information available. However, she successfully established her routine using Organic Pharmacy’s simple skincare guide. “All you need to do is pick your skin concern and the perfect skincare routine is matched to you,” explains Ella. Whether your skin is oily and acne prone or dry and sensitive, or whether you want a routine that protects your skin, or your skin needs rejuvenation, you’re matched with the exact products you need, taking away all the guesswork.
“At The Organic Pharmacy, we believe in the beauty of simplicity. Many have fallen into the trap of thinking that more skincare products mean better results, but excessive routines may harm your skin, leading to a compromised barrier, redness, irritation, and even acne. Our signature 4-step skincare ritual is designed to be customised for your unique skin needs, promoting natural protection, regeneration, and repair.”
The Organic Pharmacy: Protection Routine
Rules for success
Cultivating a morning routine that sets you up for the day is as much about what you avoid as it is about what you do. Both Isabel and Ella prioritise creating a pocket of positivity before spending time on their phones. While Isabel doesn’t check social media until she’s at the gym, Ella tries to swap endless scrolling on her commute for reading a book, listening to a podcast or chatting to a friend. Avoiding technology is also a common practise of high profile leaders. For example, Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global and The Huffington Post, has stated that she makes it a point not to check her notifications in the mornings, preferring to make time to practise gratitude and meditate.
Another common practise that many successful people avoid in the morning is pressing the snooze button. In an interview, Monica Snyder, founder and CEO of Birdsong, said that “hitting the snooze button is something you'll never find a successful person doing” because it starts the day with a broken promise to yourself. Ella agrees with this sentiment and explains “I’m not a snoozer, I always get up straight away and get things moving! Make the bed, take a shower, pick an outfit, skincare, makeup, vitamins and out the door.” Isabel also puts her focus on harnessing the power of the morning and she changes her wake-up time in the summer to take advantage of the light mornings, waking up at 5:30am each day.
It’s clear that there is a link that having intentions in your morning routines can lead to a better sense of purpose throughout the day. Whether it’s through making time for self-care or creating boundaries around technology, these small practises can help you feel more productive and being at your best.
Want to revive the first hour of your day? Exclusive to AllBright members, The Organic Pharmacy are offering a complimentary Skin Solutions Facial treatment to the first 10 people to call their Chelsea Clinic!*
The Organic Pharmacy Chelsea Clinic
43 Cadogan Gardens, London SW3 2TB
07497 174377
