Fanny Moizant
Fanny Moizant is co-founder of Vestiaire Collective; a social shopping site for pre-owned premium and luxury fashion items. Born and raised in France, Fanny lives in London with her husband and two girls.
What is your morning routine?
I have two alarms, the first is quite organic at 5:45am when I hear my husband getting up. He’s a banker and has to be in the office by 6-6:30am every morning. Even when he tries his best to be quiet, I usually get woken up and stay in bed until my second alarm, which is my older daughter Louise (9) at 6:15am. She’s also an early bird.
Then it’s time to plug back in. I use my iPhone to check my email and Instagram feed. Then (and only then) I’m ready to get out of bed and have breakfast with both of my girls, Louise and Jeanne (8), and Salud their au pair.
Since the beginning of January Salud has been walking the girls to school so I can do my one consistent daily exercise routine; walking for half an hour to get to my office in Farringdon, London. I love walking to work. Every day I discover something new; from charming little houses to other English treasures.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
My current morning routine began in September 2013 when I decided to relocate the entire family from Paris to London to lead the European expansion of Vestiaire Collective.
Since then I’ve fallen deeply in love with London. I find its energy and open-minded attitude quite refreshing.
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
It’s totally changed since launching my business. Back then I was taking care of my girls, so I was generally free of any work deadlines and stress. It was a big change at first; I think every working parent develops their own system.
Now I’ve managed to find a clear balance between both worlds – I work hard at being present and in the moment when I’m with my family or focused at work. It helps to check in before breakfast so I know what to expect from the day, then I go to have breakfast with my girls.
What time do you go to sleep?
I really need a good eight hours sleep if I want to work well the next day, so I tend to go to bed around 10:00pm, lights off by 11:00pm.
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
I do not need any alarm, my husband and girls are my beloved alarms ;)
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
Usually it’s one hour after waking up. I have a new routine that suits me very well; I eat a bowl of gluten/sugar free muesli with almond milk and drink a jasmine green tea, as well as some fresh orange juice.
This fuels me until about 1 or 2:00pm. The key is avoiding sugar in the morning if you don’t want to crash around 11:00am. I generally try to keep the sugar in my blood at the same level as much as possible.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
I would love to be more athletic than I really am. I try to do some quick exercises three or four times a week. I’m a squat addict and love to stretch like a cat to start my day.
My walk to and from work is my main workout. It relaxes me in addition to providing a steady exercise routine.
How about morning meditation?
That’s definitely a goal: I want to learn meditation and make the time to do it every morning.
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
I look at them while I’m still in bed, but unless it’s urgent I wait to be in the office to respond.
Do you use any apps or products to enhance your sleep or morning routine?
As it’s quite difficult for me to disconnect, it’s also hard to fall asleep at night when things are crazy at work.
I try to do some relaxation exercises to help me wind down. I’ve found that stretching helps, but you also have to train your mind to wind down, by removing stimulations such as music, television or bright lights.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
It’s almost the first thing I do. I really feel addicted some days because it’s the last thing I do before falling asleep at night and the first thing I do in the morning… but I can’t stop myself!
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
It’s definitely the quality time I spend with my girls while having breakfast. All of us are full of energy and happy to chat.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
On good days I try to drink fresh lemon juice with water. Otherwise, when I’m being lazy, I have jasmine tea.
Do you also follow this routine on weekends, or do you change some steps?
During weekends I do the same routine but with a wider time frame.
Everything moves at a slower pace; I’m able to reflect on the upcoming week in addition to enjoying time with my family.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
No, that’s my main challenge.
As I usually organize dinners or drinks when I’m traveling, I tend to wake up more tired and it becomes difficult to adhere to my routine. To stay on track, I sometimes travel with my cereal and teas, otherwise I’ll favor fresh fruit and whatever green tea I can find.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
Not walking to work really impacts my day. I definitely feel less energized. When that happens, I try to eat very lightly and avoid alcohol.
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