The easy tricks this editor uses to stay energized—even on super long days

In our Wellness 9 to 5 series, get a glimpse into a day-in-the-life of wellness-obsessed (and super busy) professionals—and all of their healthy, time-saving tips to help you tackle your own day on the job.

Erin Flynn
Well+Good associate branded content editor

4:00 a.m. Wake up: Two days a week I work the morning shift at Swerve Fitness. A friend hooked me up with a job there years ago, and I became so obsessed I didn’t want to give it up (the free classes don’t hurt either). Luckily, my part-time status means my super early wakeup calls only come twice a week, but the rest of the week I’m up by 6 a.m. to get to the gym or take a class.

The key to surviving those before-the-sun wakeups is making my morning routine as easy and streamlined as possible—and getting enough sleep! I’m pretty strict about going to bed between 8 and 10 p.m. every night (yes, even when it’s still light outside during the summer). I even used to set an alarm to remind myself to go to bed at night. It’s way easier to resist hitting snooze in the morning when you know you’ve already gotten your eight hours in. (Cold brew also helps.)

9:00 a.m. Head to the Well+Good offices: Living in New York City, I walk a lot, but I’m especially proud to say I have never taken the subway to Swerve and instead always walk the 1.2 miles to the studio. And since I’m on my feet the whole time I’m there (plus the additional nearly two-mile walk to the Well+Good office afterward if I’m feeling really ambitious), wearing comfortable shoes is beyond necessary.

My Easy Spirit sneakers are usually my go-to for those mornings because they are some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn (for real), plus the pretty pastel colors make them ideal for pulling off the workout-to-work quick change.

9:30 a.m. Breakfast and emails: Usually I’ll grab a smoothie in the mornings, but I rarely order straight off the menu because I love tinkering with the ingredients to make my own concoctions—with max health benefits of course. Some of the easiest ways I’ve found to up the health factor of my smoothies is by adding kale and zucchini every time—you can’t taste it (though the kale will make your smoothie an ugly color, sorry), but it’s a great way to sneak in an extra dose of greens and make your smoothie super thick. I also love adding collagen peptides for a gut-healthy protein boost.

If I’m still hungry when I arrive at the office (which is most days) I’ll eat something simple like boiled eggs and fruit or a frittata with ground turkey and spinach while I read through emails and Slack messages.

I also keep my (many) supplements on my desk and take them after I eat my breakfast. Charcoal for detoxification, turmeric for anti-inflammation, Vitamin A for clear skin, and others that promote good digestion. Opening each bottle has become a sort of morning ritual, plus, keeping them at work rather than at home keeps me from being tempted to skip a day if I’m running late in the morning.

11:00 a.m. Brainstorm meetings: I usually spend a good chunk of my day in brainstorms planning for upcoming programs and on calls discussing ones that have already begun. My sidekick in every meeting is my water bottle, which I legitimately never leave the house without, so I can easily reach my goal of 70 ounces a day without having to run back and forth to the kitchen constantly.

1:30 p.m. Lunch: I try to wait four hours between meals and avoid snacking in between—both to optimize digestion (I pretty much live my life in the name of better digestion). But of course, if I’m hungry, I eat! I’m a big fan of intuitive eating, i.e. letting my body tell me what food I need rather than an app or a label.

I always pack my lunch, but my easy trick for making meal prep feel more manageable (and not like I’m trapped in my kitchen for the whole day Sunday) is splitting it into two segments. On Sunday, I make big enough batch of whatever I’m having for dinner to last me the whole week. On Monday night, I do the same so I end up with a full week of lunches and dinners without spending much time in the kitchen.

3:00 p.m. Go for a walk: On afternoons when I’m feeling groggy or just want to get some fresh air, I’ll take a walk around Union Square (told you I do a lot of walking). Even just one lap around the park helps me refocus and feel refreshed—and since the cushiony soles of my Easy Spirit sneaks are so supportive, my feet still don’t hurt, despite all the walking.

6:00 p.m. Leave for home or class: At the end of the day I look forward to talking to my mom or sisters on the phone after I get off the subway. Recounting all the good things that happened to me each day is an awesome way to practice gratitude and remind myself that I have a ton to be thankful for.

I’ll either head straight home, or go take a yoga or Swerve class if I worked there that morning. Afterward I’ll walk back home and end my day with that same 1.2 miles I started with at sunrise.

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Photos: Tim Gibson for Well+Good