Do you spring out of bed, ready to start your day, or hit snooze over and over again? That Morning Person is HuffPost’s attempt to make sense of mornings by peering into the routines of others.
Mandy Moore is a self-proclaimed early bird.
The “This Is Us” actress told HuffPost that she considers her morning routine ― which includes a workout, breakfast and plenty of time for her pets ― an integral part of her self-care plan.
But don’t expect her to try to tackle all of these things at once.
“I try not to look at each day in a macro sense,” Moore said, adding that a busy schedule makes it easier to get overwhelmed and end up trying to rush through tasks. “I try to put one foot in front of the other and focus on one goal instead of the whole, big picture.”
Of course, not everyone is as enthusiastic about mornings as Moore. So we asked her to share some morning habits that she feels are worth adopting. Check out her morning routine below, including her favorite part about waking up early.
What time do you like to wake up in the morning?
It kind of varies. My natural inclination is to wake up around 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m.
If I’m not working, I like to get up and exercise early. I like to be out the door by 6:30 a.m. so I can exercise around 7 a.m., so I will wake up around 5:30 a.m.
Snooze button: Hit it or quit it?
I don’t have an alarm! My body is so conditioned to waking up on the earlier side. I’ve always been more of a morning person than a night owl.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
I usually don’t eat something before I work out, because otherwise I feel a little queasy. But right after I finish working out, I like coming home and having a protein shake or smoothie. Just something to give me a little fuel or energy.
In general, I’m a big breakfast proponent. I love scrambled eggs and turkey bacon ― and all the fixings.
Coffee or tea?
I literally get excited to go to sleep so I can wake up and make coffee. I love coffee. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning.
How has your morning routine changed since you started working on “This Is Us”?
I have to wake up earlier ― sometimes way earlier than I would want. I’ve had a couple of those 4 a.m. call times, which to me feels like the middle of the night, even as an early bird.
Do you like this new schedule better or worse than the one you had previously?
I think I have a new consistency in getting up early and feeling like I really did something with my day. It’s a consistency I didn’t really have before getting this job. I’ve never worked on a television show before. Even when you do a film, it’s two or three months, max, and you get used to that schedule. But this is a seven-plus-month commitment that’s nonstop getting up and going. I love that and really crave that now.
Fill in the blank: My perfect morning consists of ________.
Plenty of snuggle time with my pets. That’s my most favorite thing in the morning. If I can sleep in and have them all on the bed with me, that’s the best.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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