This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Niki Leondakis, the CEO of CorePower Yoga, a yoga studio with over 220 locations in 23 states. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I spent over 30 years in hospitality, and after leading three different hotel companies, I became CEO of Equinox.
Then I went through some personal turbulence.
In 2017, my home burned to the ground from the California wildfires. Exactly a year later, my husband died of a sudden heart attack.
I found myself in this 12-month period without a husband, without my career, and without a home. So I took a break and tried to figure out what my life was going to look like in its next chapter.
Business Insider’s Power Hours series gives readers an inside look at how powerful leaders in business structure their workday. See more stories from the series here, or reach out to editor Lauryn Haas to share your daily routine.
When I was going through that, the one thing that anchored me and helped me process my emotions was getting on my yoga mat every single day. So when the CorePower opportunity came my way five years ago, it was a dream job. I don’t know if I would have been ready for any opportunity — but this one spoke to my heart.
I travel a lot to different studios or markets. I split my time between Denver and San Francisco, where we’re headquartered. So my routine is not exactly the same every day, but there are some constants no matter what.
Here’s a day in my life:
I start my day with a body scan and meditation
I wake up around 5:30 or 6 a.m., and I do a head-to-toe body scan. I’m very aware of the stress I carry in my body, and yoga helps me become more aware of it. Sometimes when I do my body scans I find my fists clenched. I lie there and I try to release where I feel stressed.
Then I do a short meditation and try to think about a word that represents my intention for the day, like “patience” or “focus.”
I drink mushroom adaptogenic tea
I usually start my day with mushroom adaptogenic tea. There’s research about them helping with mental clarity and stress, and I’m prone to anxiety. I’ve done a decent job learning how to manage it, but I can let things spin me up pretty easily.
I stack my habits
My tea routine includes not just the tea, but my supplements. I take Vital Earth Minerals Super Multi, a liquid multivitamin with fulvic minerals. I keep it right next to the milk I put in my tea. I find that by stacking it, I don’t forget to take my vitamins.
Then I try to go outside. It makes a huge difference in helping me gain perspective on whatever issues I have. The magnitude of nature helps me see that I’m putting energy into something that actually doesn’t matter that much.
I get on a yoga mat almost every day
Before I get on my yoga mat, I often scan my email for 30 to 45 minutes. I generally have something that I know has to get done, and I try to do that first thing so it’s not hanging over my head.
Then I get to my yoga practice. I have a yoga teacher, who I’ve been working with for 15 years. So, I’ll either get on my mat at home and practice with her, or I’ll go to a CorePower studio or tune in to a livestream.
Even on the busiest days, I have what I call my minimum required practice, or MRP. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, I try to do sun salutations, breath work, and ground myself.
I don’t eat in the morning until I’m hungry. But if I had a really vigorous practice, I’ll have Greek yogurt with chia seeds, fresh berries, and some low-sugar type of granola. Usually at that time, I’ll have a second cup of my mushroom tea.
I’m online by 8:30 a.m.
My first calls are around 8:30 or 9 a.m., and I have them on Zoom or in our headquarters boardroom. I typically visit studios or meet with managers and leaders. Sometimes, I’ll do a listening tour with our yoga teachers.
As an introvert, my days are scheduled very specifically
For me to be my best self, I cannot be in back-to-back meetings. I need time to process, or maybe send a follow-up email.
When I have big presentations or something high-stakes, my assistant knows to schedule 30 minutes before the meeting so I can ground myself and do breath work.
I’m introverted. I think of my body, mind, and spirit as an iPhone. My battery charges up in my alone time, whether that’s getting outside, spending time in nature, practicing meditation, engaging in breath work, or reading. I find it enjoyable to interact in a big social environment, but the battery goes down. So I can’t run from large group events to a meeting. I need to recharge.
I try to get outside after work
During late spring, summer, and early fall, I try to wrap up my workday to get outside on a bike ride, a walk, or even a hike. Sometimes it’s only 30 minutes, but I get outside and get some physical activity.
My wind-down routine includes dimming the lights, drinking Ayurvedic tea, and doing a relaxing activity
Sleep has been a challenge my whole life, and it’s still a work in progress, but I’ve adopted some routines that have helped me. I used to tell myself that I could function on very little sleep. I’d be in bed at 2 a.m., up at 6 a.m., and bouncing on a stage at 9 a.m.
I had a lot of energy, but was I my best self? Was that my best effort? No, because I didn’t have enough sleep. So now I try really hard. I try to do something zen, like reading or puzzling. Then I get into bed, and if I’m still wound up, I use Insight Timer’s sleep meditations.
I still fall into the trap of staying up late sometimes, but I try to remind myself that my bedtime will impact my performance the next day. That helps me stay committed to getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post I’m the CEO of CorePower Yoga. Here’s a day in my life, which includes body scans, meditation, and mushroom tea. appeared first on Business Insider.
