Rae Dunn
Rae Dunn accidentally discovered clay in 1993, and it slowly took over her life. Rae currently lives in Berkeley, California, and her clay wares are sold nationwide.
What is your morning routine?
I’m the kind of person who likes to ease into my day.
I naturally wake up at 7:12am every morning. My husband brings me tea in bed (two black tea bags, milk, and maple syrup in a pint glass) while I write down my night’s dreams, sketch, and check my emails — all before ever leaving the bed.
Next I play the piano for 30-60 minutes (I joke that the book of Chopin Nocturnes is my bible) before heading out for a morning run, a roller skate, or a bikram yoga class. Now I’m ready to start my workday.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
So long that I can’t remember ever not having it!
What time do you go to sleep?
I’m happiest when I’m in bed by 10 or 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 don’t even own an alarm clock! Waking up to an alarm clock would be my idea of a living hell… it seems so unnatural.
I prefer waking up to my own body clock. The last time I had a job where I needed an alarm clock to wake me up was in 1993. I remember thinking then that this kind of lifestyle was not for me.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
This is my downfall. I can go until 2:00pm without eating a single thing. I know this is really bad and I’m trying to resolve it, so when I do remember to have breakfast I’ll eat two soft-boiled eggs at around 10:00am.
Do you have a morning meditation routine?
I don’t have the typical meditation session, but playing the piano clears my head and puts me in the flow. Also, my work as a ceramic artist is very meditative in itself, so I feel like meditation is happening throughout my day.
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
It depends on what the email is regarding. If it’s something important to me (I just wrote my first book, so my editor was top priority) then I will answer immediately. Other emails that can wait, do.
Sadly, I am notorious for letting emails pile up and often fail to answer them altogether (a bad habit). I like to spend the least amount of time on my computer as is humanly possible. Nothing frustrates me more than my computer and technology when it doesn’t work!
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
Yes. I’ll always go for a morning run regardless of where I am. It’s a great way to get the blood flowing, empty my head, and be alone with my thoughts. It’s also a perfect way to explore the surroundings of wherever I happen to be.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
I am completely thrown off without my morning routine. I hate being jarred awake and having to rush out the door (such as when catching an early flight, ugh). And I hate not exercising. It all makes for an icky rest of the day.
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