How Sadira Furlow, VP of brand marketing at Frito-Lay, spends the first 15 minutes of her workday
Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, I was getting up at 5 a.m. That was a specific 2020 goal I’d set as a result of reading the book “The Miracle Morning.” Taking the first hour of your day and giving it to yourself—it sets the foundation for the rest of the day. I’d wake up, meditate for 10 minutes, exercise and read the Bible. I’d write some thoughts and visualize the kind of day I wanted to have, and I was crushing it. Well, then COVID hit. I started waking up at 7 a.m., and I had no more miracle morning. It was just a miracle to be in a pandemic, getting some sleep and waking up to figure out Zoom again.
Now I’ve found a bit more of a balance between the two. I’m getting enough sleep, I’m getting some mindfulness, starting the day grounded and getting the body moving. That’s my new morning routine, and it feels like it’ll stick— like I’m on the other side of this and it’s something I can maintain. And I’m not waking up looking too crazy.
I’ll start the workday with a bit of breakfast—something light—and I start looking at my email offline so that I don’t get distracted by messages coming in. I just sit down and see what’s come in overnight before my first meeting, and then it’s “go.” I call it professional CrossFit. My workout day is whatever that calendar says. And my mental agility? I’m hitting PRs (personal records). I feel like every day is a new PR.
What’s your typical breakfast?
I’ve been doing a couple eggs, some avocado (like bacon, it’s its own food group) and some salad. I’m trying to eat more vegetables throughout the day.
What are some of your favorite news sources to read or listen to?
I first skim my push alerts in the morning, everything from Hollywood Reporter to The Wall Street Journal. Then brushing my teeth, I listen to NPR’s “Up First.” And getting dressed, usually Joyce Meyer’s “Enjoying Everyday Life.”
How do you wind down after the workday?
I’ve become a bit of a walking bully. I’ve cajoled my friends into walking under the guise of catching up. I’ve learned I need air and movement out of the house—once the day’s over, I’m mentally fatigued but have all this adrenaline going.
Do you have any favorite Frito-Lay snacks?
I love the Lay’s Crispy Taco chips; they taste just like a crispy beef taco. And I like Lay’s Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle— I like complex flavor, so this one has heat but the brightness of dill.
Illustration by Eugene Smith.
Julian Zeng is omni-channel content manager at the American Marketing Association. He may be reached at jzeng@ama.org.