Ellie Thumann’s Trusted Morning Routine for a Productive and Calm Day

The model and content creator talks through the steps that set her up for success.

Ellie Thumann.Mireya Acierto/Getty Images

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2023 SI Swimsuit rookie Ellie Thumann knows the secret to a good day is getting a full night’s rest. She’s always been in the habit of getting cozy and tucked in by 11:30 p.m. at the latest.

This year, the influencer, who is best known for her beauty, fashion and lifestyle YouTube channel, is making a goal to spend less mindless time on her phone, both at night and in the morning. So far, the simple change has helped her feel more energized and ready for a productive, peaceful day each morning.

Though she doesn’t describe herself as a “morning person,” the 22-year-old does see the value in an early start to the day.

“I think when I’m really intentional with it and I set myself up for a good morning, I can be [a morning person],” Thumann says. “It’s all about the steps that I take. It’s all determined by when I go to sleep.”

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Her morning routine

The Arizona native’s alarm is set for 8 a.m. on most weekdays, and there are a few musts in her morning routine.

“I definitely need to wake up on my own, drink coffee, drink water. I have to register everything before I even can talk to someone or communicate. I have had a horrible habit of going on my phone,” she admits. “I think we all do. I’m really, really trying to stop that at least within the first 25 minutes of my morning. It makes you automatically anxious and spikes your levels before the day has even started when you’re coming from the most peaceful state to [your phone.]”

She starts by drinking water and a glass of colostrum powder mixed with water, for her hair growth and gut health. Thumann has made it a priority to do that before she makes her coffee. 

“Coffee is an activity”

The model takes pride in the coffee she makes at home. She says it’s her favorite part of the morning, and an activity that saves money and also adds to waking up “slowly” rather than running out of the house to get coffee from somewhere else.

“Trying new pods [in my new Nespresso machine] is really fun. They’re all in Italian, I’m pretty sure. So I will guess a new one each time and it will always make it a little bit different, but I’ve never not liked one,” she shares. “I drink my coffee as I journal, go on Pinterest and do my affirmations and [read] all my different self-help books and then from there I can go on my phone, evaluate my day, text people that I need to text and get moving.”

Holding herself accountable while working on a flexible schedule

As a content creator, Thumann is in charge of creating her own schedule. Other than certain meetings, phone calls, sponsored posts or travel events, the influencer has the freedom to start and end her day when she wants. She’s super focused and adamant about making each weekday count.

“I think it can be hard at times [to be diligent], but the best thing that’s helped me is looking at the patterns of how I have felt in the days that I do wake up and am productive and do the proper things versus the days that I let my anxiety or laziness get the best of me and lay in bed,” she shares. “I think the biggest thing that makes change happen for me is having to walk through it and know the different feelings—it makes it a no-brainer. After a productive day, you just feel so much more at peace going to sleep.”

Journaling

Thumann has a few different journals for guided self-help, interactive therapy workbooks, brain dumping and more. The most important, and first to be opened each day, however, is her planner.

“I love to use my agenda first because that one guides you through at least making a step-by-step of your day. [It’s so satisfying] to be able to look back at it before you go to bed and check everything off that you completed,” she says. “Then I love my guided journals that help with healing work on yourself and your inner child and different goals. That one prompts you each day.”

Currently reading

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest.

“I love that one. It’s been really helping me,” she says and adds that reading a few pages each morning has “subconsciously made huge impacts on my mood throughout the day.”

She likes to highlight and take notes in all of her self-help books to be able to later go back and pull out information that stood out to her.

“I make it an interactive [experience] because a book can be kind of overwhelming when you read it,” she explains. “How much are you retaining?”

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