In SELF’s Wake-Up Call series, we ask celebrities, athletes, and other notable people to share the details of how they wake up and glow.
Like any devoted Elin Hilderbrand fan, I associate the author’s name with blissful relaxation. My copy of her novel has sand seeping into the spine and the cover warped from resting on a saltwater-soaked swimsuit. Hilderbrand has written nearly 30 novels (selling more than 20 million copies) set on her native Nantucket, and her work has been a beach bag staple for decades. She’s beloved for her ability to transport readers to a mischievous world where the sun is drenched from every angle. So it’s fair to assume the author prioritizes a healthy amount of leisure in her daily life.
At least, that’s not true when it comes to her morning routine. I spoke with the beach-reading queen over Labor Day weekend (the equivalent of getting a call from Santa Claus on Christmas Day) about her morning routine, which is one that favors discipline over decadence, while still sparking joy. Hilderbrand is currently in the midst of “the biggest week of her life,” she tells SELF: the Netflix miniseries adaptation of her novel, Hilderbrand. Perfect couple, Premiering today! But luckily for her, she’s used to making the most of her waking hours: Her typical day starts before sunrise.
A novelist famous for publishing one book a year do not First thing in the morning, Hilderbrand gets to work. But for her, it’s a fulfilling, productive, endorphin-filled morning that sets her up for a productive writing day. When she wakes up feeling energized, three is her lucky number; she drinks three cups of tea and does three different types of exercise. And even best-selling authors can’t escape the duties of motherhood in the morning, though Hilderbrand says she relishes the opportunity to jump-start her kids’ day when they all get home from college or work.
It’s been a bittersweet summer for those of us who make it our annual tradition to visit Hilderbrand’s (mostly) fictional Nantucket Island. She’s currently working on a new book, aptly titled Swan Songwill be her final Nantucket novel, but thankfully her vision of “retirement” doesn’t align with most people’s. When I ask if things are slowing down as this chapter of her career comes to an end, Hilderbrand responds with a resounding “absolutely not.” Her morning routine still fuels her creative output, and she has many projects we’re all looking forward to.
Below, Elin Hilderbrand shares her Nantucket morning routine in her own voice.
When I wake up, I brush my teeth and put on a face mask.
I like to use a different one every day as I have five masks that I rotate through each week, four of which are from Fresh. Honey, Black tea, lotusand Flower recovery Mask. And lastly, Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator This product is from GoopGlow and adheres to the skin like a mask.
Moisturize after the face mask. Laneige Water Bank MoisturizerThat’s it for my morning beauty routine! I do wear sunscreen, but I try to apply it later in the day if I’m going outside. My dermatologist says: eltaMD facial sunscreen.
Afterwards, I go downstairs and do what I call “The 100 Quiet Tasks of Being a Mother.”
I take out the trash, do the laundry, empty and put away the dishwasher. My two oldest kids work late nights, so I leave dinner the night before. I also make lunch for my son, who’s an electrician, and prepare coffee. I don’t eat breakfast or coffee, but I do have three cups of tea each morning, different ones. Earl Grey First, then Lemon Teaafter that coconut—No sugar, nothing added. I don’t have a particular order, it’s the same every day… I’m a creature of habit!
I like to have a cup of tea and then go out into the garden and pick fresh vegetables or cut flowers in the summer. Sometimes I’ll prepare food in the morning, and then I’ll watch whatever show I’m watching at the moment. industry It was HBO and I loved it. Anyway, once I was done with my work in silence (and had some tea!), I spent the rest of the morning working out.
The most important thing in becoming a writer isn’t talent or inspiration, it’s discipline and the determination to get the job done, and that starts with a morning workout.
First, I ride my Peloton bike for 45 minutes every morning. My favorite instructor is Jen Sherman, and I ride with Dennis and Emma. Honestly, the only time I don’t ride is when I’m traveling, but I try to adjust my travel schedule so that I’m not riding first thing in the morning. And, Never I want to jump out of bed and do it! But I always get through it because I think of it as a discipline that organizes my day.
After Peloton, I drink ice water and do what I call “yoga,” which is a joke in the movie. AnchormanThis is my very slow jog.
I ride about an hour and ten minutes every morning, which is a little faster than walking but maybe not as fast as jogging, on the miles of bike paths on Nantucket. I always listen to music while I work out. Right now, my playlist has a lot of Taylor Swift on it. I love her new album. It’s mostly Taylor songs, and I love classic rock for old people too.
