Jared Taylor
Jared Taylor is an entrepreneur, triathlete, foodie, cook, and Arrested Development fanatic from Los Angeles, California.
What is your morning routine?
I wake up between 6-6:30am. The very first thing I do is drink a full glass (or two) of water, followed by some form of exercise. Depending on the day it might be as simple as a five minute jog up the street, or it might be a 4,000 meter swim set.
Breakfast immediately follows. If I don’t have lunch plans, I’ll throw a meal together in the kitchen (leftovers or something easy). If there’s time before work, I’ll read any new blog posts in my inbox, or do a little writing.
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
This routine started last year when I began training for my first triathlon. Because there are three sports involved, it’s important to utilize mornings and evenings for workouts. I was also learning how to swim, so at the time I’d spend up to four or five mornings a week at the pool.
I’ve made a conscious effort to use mornings to my advantage. I used to never consider making lunch in the morning. Sometimes I’ll even go grocery shopping. Going into work at 9:00am after accomplishing a few things feels amazing.
What time do you go to sleep?
On week nights typically between 10 and 11:00pm. On weekends, generally by midnight depending on what I have going on the next morning, but a few times a month I’m not in bed until two or three ;)
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
I use the Sleep Cycle app as my alarm clock. It gradually wakes you up when you’re most prone to feeling well rested. I have the traditional snooze feature turned off.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
I usually have breakfast about an hour after waking up (always after my workout). For a while I exclusively had two fried eggs, a sprouted wheat bagel, half an avocado, and a small mixed greens salad. Lately I’ve gotten into making my own granola, which I have with nonfat unsweetened Greek yogurt, a banana, apple and blueberries. I alternate between the yogurt and eggs.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
Yes! It depends on what I’m training for.
During triathlon season, I run or swim for 30-60 minutes. When I’m training for a half marathons, I alternate between short and long runs (20-90 minutes). I do a few pushups and curl ups afterwards, and always stretch.
Do you see to email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
I check my personal email during or after breakfast. I like having “me” time up until then without any distractions. I don’t check my work email until I’m at the office.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning, either for calls/messages or social media and news?
Similar to above, I try to wait until during or after breakfast. The way I see it, we’re attached to our devices nearly all day. Mornings are a great opportunity to take a break.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
Getting SOME form of exercise in and eating a good breakfast.
What do you do if you fail to follow your routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
It can really screw me up. I’m groggy and only running at about 75% if I sleep in too late. I compensate by drinking extra coffee at work.
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