Elin Hilderbrand Archives - Routine Hacker

Nicky Wake

Productivity Tip:

Schedule a Money Check-In

Money admin has a habit of hanging around in the back of your mind: bills to pay, spending to check, savings goals to revisit. 💸 And you probably won’t be surprised to hear that financial strain has been linked to poorer mental and physical health.

But you know what else? Studies suggest that simply making a concrete plan for unfinished tasks can reduce the intrusive thoughts they create, freeing up mental space for other things.

So instead of dealing with your finances reactively, try scheduling a weekly or monthly money check-in. Use the time to review your spending, upcoming expenses and progress toward your goals, and make any decisions you’ve been putting off.

Keeping everything in one place helps, too. A dedicated tool like the Panda Planner Financial Planner gives you a structured place to organize your finances and plan ahead.

The goal isn’t to think about money more — it’s to give it a designated time and place so you can think about it less the rest of the week.

Routine Breakdown

Nicky Wake, Entrepreneur & Speaker

40 Laps, Inbox Zero & a Very Busy Brain: An Entrepreneur’s Routine

“Running six businesses and non-profits means I need structure, but I always leave room for the next big idea,” says Nicky Wake, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and media commentator. With ventures including Don’t Panic, Chapter 2, and Sober Love, Nicky has learned that each business needs something different from her — and that juggling them all means staying organized while protecting time and headspace to think.

The Routine:

Starts the day with a swim. “Whenever I can, I start every working day with 40 lengths. It gives me uninterrupted thinking time. I’ll plan my day and my priorities while I’m in the pool, think through upcoming meetings, work through new product ideas and generally get myself into a positive mindset.” Nicky says swimming became important when she quit drinking and went into rehab. “I wanted to find one positive habit that I could build into my everyday routine, and swimming became my sanctuary.”
Keeps her inbox clear. “I’m obsessive about inbox zero and simply can’t unwind properly until I know I’ve dealt with everything that needs my attention or filed it for the appropriate action.” She also keeps an ongoing to-do list on her phone: “I get a ridiculous amount of satisfaction from ticking things off throughout the day.”
Makes space for a weekly reset. Nicky has hypnotherapy once a week, a practice she originally began to support her sobriety. “I have a very busy brain and there are always several businesses, communities, ideas and decisions competing for my attention, so I’ve found it really helpful to have that regular time to clear my head and refocus.”
Builds networking into her working week. “I really believe you’re only as good as your little black book, and I’m a demon networker,“ says Nicky, who goes to business events and hosts lunches regularly. “Some of the best opportunities I’ve had have come through relationships and conversations rather than anything particularly formal.”
Protects time for the people closest to her. However busy work gets, Nicky makes time for her partner Dan every weekend and at least one evening during the week. She has also made spending an hour or two each day with her son Finn a priority, although that routine is changing as he heads to university.
Is learning to switch off. “I’m a complete workaholic and make no secret of the fact that I love what I do.” Her partner recently bought her a Kindle to encourage more downtime, and she’s trying to read rather than automatically finding something else to work on. “The only problem is that I have to stop myself from filling the Kindle with business books, otherwise I’m not sure it really counts as switching off!”

Why it works:

Nicky’s routine balances structure with mental space. Simple systems like inbox zero and a running to-do list keep the practical side of a busy working life under control, while swimming and weekly hypnotherapy give her dedicated time to think, reset, and generate ideas. Just as importantly, she deliberately makes room for relationships and downtime rather than expecting them to happen around work.

If you have trouble switching off, as Nicky does, it can help to protect your downtime just as deliberately as you protect your working hours. Whether it’s reading, swimming, or something else entirely, try to find something that gives your brain permission to clock off.

Ben Shelton

Wellness Tip:

Use Your Emotions Instead of Fighting Them

This week’s routine belongs to tennis player Ben Shelton, whose approach to competition got us thinking about the role emotions can play in performance. 🤔

Shelton doesn’t try to stay cool and collected on court. He gets fired up, celebrates loudly, and draws energy from the crowd. 🔥

When we’re nervous about something, our instinct is often to try to calm down or push those feelings away. But what if, instead of fighting them, we changed the way we thought about them?

Anxiety and excitement can feel remarkably similar in the body: a racing heart, butterflies, sweaty palms, and a surge of energy. Research has found that simply reframing pre-performance anxiety as excitement can help people feel more confident and perform better.

For example, rather than seeing a pounding heart as a sign that something is going wrong, you might recognize it as your body preparing you to meet a challenge.

So next time you’re nervous, frustrated, or overly excited before something important, don’t immediately ask, “How do I calm down?” Try asking, “How can I use this energy?”

Routine Breakdown

Ben Shelton, Pro Tennis Player

How Tennis Star Ben Shelton Stays Grounded

How does one of the world’s top-five tennis players use ritual, routine, and downtime to maintain a healthy mindset? Talking to On, 23-year-old tennis sensation Ben Shelton explained what keeps him in balance.

The Routine:

Starts match day with a shower. He doesn’t consider it a superstition; it’s simply a familiar way to begin the day before the unpredictability of competition.
Uses music to switch into competition mode. Shelton describes his pre-match routines as being about getting “fired up.” Music plays a big role in that transition (he loves hip-hop, especially Lil Baby). His pre-game playlist gives him a familiar ritual before he walks onto the court.
Lets emotion fuel performance. Rather than trying to become completely calm or detached under pressure, Shelton embraces his natural intensity. He smiles, celebrates, interacts with spectators and draws energy from the crowd.
Makes space for genuine downtime. Away from tennis, Shelton spends time with friends, watches movies, reads and listens to music.
Reconnects with people after difficult matches. Tennis can be a solitary sport, something Shelton became particularly aware of after experiencing the team environment of college tennis. Relationships remain an important counterbalance to that isolation. After difficult matches, he turns to his girlfriend, family and the people close to him, and stays connected with former teammates.
Keeps learning beyond his main pursuit. Shelton keeps interests outside tennis. He reads finance books in his downtime and, despite leaving university early to turn pro, still plans to finish his finance degree one day.
Focuses on progress rather than perfection. Despite his rapid rise through professional tennis, Shelton still talks about himself as a work in progress. “I’m competitive and I want to win but I have to remind myself that I’m nowhere near where I want to be with some things,” he says.

Why it works:

Shelton’s approach to performance, both on and off the court, is refreshingly simple. A few familiar rituals, time to switch off, strong relationships, and interests beyond tennis give him steady anchors around the intensity and unpredictability of professional sport.

“Progress over perfection” is a well-worn mantra, but that’s with good reason. Taking small, consistent steps — and accepting mistakes as part of the process — helps us build momentum without getting derailed when things don’t go perfectly.

Harry Donald

Productivity Tip:

Draw the Problem

Ever thought of drawing your way through a problem instead of writing it out?

Harry Donald, who shares his “thinking routine” below, sets aside time once or twice a week to work through ideas visually. “There are lots of ideas that are easy to articulate on pen and paper, but there are some that aren’t ready formed in your head,” he says. “Writing them down is not always the best way to get clarity on what those ideas actually are.”

Whether on paper or digitally, he says you can draw the tension around a problem, or sketch out flows or journeys. “Something about working visually allows you to see where the issue / tension really is and sometimes even helps you with the size of it.”

There’s some science behind this. A 2023 review describes drawing as a cognitive tool that can help make visible the otherwise invisible contents of our minds — giving us another way to explore and make sense of an idea.

Try it this week: Pick one problem that’s been circling your brain and spend 10 minutes drawing it. Boxes, arrows, stick figures, scribbles, whatever! Don’t try to make it look good; just try to make the problem visible.

Routine Breakdown

Harry Donald, Founder of Hugo Date

Walk, Draw, Talk: A Founder’s Thinking Routine

Got a lot of thoughts bouncing around? Entrepreneur and founder Harry Donald does, so rather than your usual morning routine, he shared with us his “thinking routine” — a set of steps and tools he uses to stay creative and mentally flexible.

The Routine:

Start every week with one question: what is the single problem that, if solved, would make all other problems go away? “Obviously no single problem makes everything else disappear. But asking myself the question forces me to isolate the thing that actually ‘moves the needle’ and put everything else to the side for a bit.”
Go for a walk or a drive twice a day, every day, for 30 minutes. “I have ADHD therefore struggle heavily at desks, sitting in cubicles, etc. However I also need to spend 12 hours a day on my laptop. Walking around or even driving gives me something light to focus on, and this allows me to focus in a way that staring at a screen doesn’t. I do this twice a day, scheduled, and whenever I hit a wall on something. 99% of the best ideas I’ve had have come on these ‘wanders’.”
Talk to five strangers a day. “I don’t do this for networking or serendipity but purely because you have to acknowledge your own perspective is narrow and always will be. Even if it takes 100 conversations, you will find one that fundamentally changes how you think about a problem and either gives you the solution or triggers a thought that leads you there. These strangers should be either found online or in the street. Throw things at the wall, the success rate will be low but it gets you there. It’s simply good for your soul and expands your brain.”
Do 1–2 creative exercises per week that aren’t writing. See “Draw the Problem” above!

Why it works:

Walking, talking to new people, thinking visually… This routine is really about getting your brain out of its usual grooves so you can stay creative, find solutions, and get a change of perspective. All of that is powerful. Research supports some of these habits: walking can boost creative idea generation, while mind-wandering may help with creative problem-solving by giving ideas time to incubate. Interacting with people with different perspectives can also encourage more flexible thinking.

The common thread? Sometimes the best way to think harder is to stop staring at the problem quite so hard.

Kate Hughes

Wellness Tip:

Cultivate Resilience

How well can you bounce back from difficult experiences? That ability is what we call resilience, and the good news is it’s something you can build. 💪

One way to do that is through mindfulness.

When she shared her routine with us (below), mindfulness expert Kate Hughes told us how her meditation practice has helped her navigate some incredibly tough times.

“I can honestly say that my baseline level of contentment is unshakeable, and in recent months I have lost my father and my partner’s cancer came back,” says Kate. “In recent years I have had other bereavements through suicide that I do not know how I would have navigated without my practice.”

There’s no single mindfulness practice you need to follow. PsychCentral suggests several techniques that can help you manage stress and build resilience:

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding techniques, where you notice things in your surroundings.
Mindfulness meditation or a body scan meditation.
Progressive muscle relaxation to release tension in the body.
Various mindful breathing or deep breathing exercises.

If, like us, you’re inspired by Kate to flex your resilience muscles, pick one and give it a try. Let us know how it works for you.

Routine Breakdown

Kate Hughes, Mindfulness Expert & Founder of Kate Hughes Meditation

How a Mindfulness Expert Builds Resilience Every Day

“My morning routine involves meditation, which has been a key part in my emotional and physical health since I suffered burnout as a lawyer in 2014,” says Kate Hughes. “I know that this practice helps boost my resilience, ability to be calm in the moment, and to be far more present than I ever have been.”

The Routine:

Meditates. “I get up and brush my teeth. I have a glass of water and I sit and meditate for around 20 minutes. The meditation itself has not changed. It is mindful meditation rooted in the Rinzai Zen tradition; simple yet effective.”
Journals. “I then journal some set questions every day, although sometimes the questions change or I free-write.“
Moves. “Since I began this routine, I have worked open-water swimming and an online exercise class into it, but I very rarely miss my meditation.”

Why it works:

Mindfulness and gratitude both support resilience and wellbeing. As Kate says, “To be focused, grounded and positive means that a totally different version of me shows up for the day. I used to wake up and think, ‘How will I get through this?’ Now I am hopeful and far more positive thanks to my daily gratitudes. I am able to manage the stresses of everyday life, whereas previously I was flying by the seat of my pants in every area, and life was something that happened to me, not for me.”

While there’s no need to beat ourselves up if we miss a day (life happens), consistency can make a difference when it comes to meditation and mindfulness. You don’t need to start with 20 minutes, either. Start small, choose something that feels sustainable, and think about how you can turn your practice into a routine or ritual.

Aimie Freeston

Wellness Tip:

Practice Emotional Inquiry

Ever had a tiny comment, criticism or interaction bother you way more than you think it should?

Instead of telling yourself to get over it, try getting curious about it. Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs calls this “emotional inquiry”: treating a strong emotional reaction as something to investigate rather than judge.

The idea is that what happened is only part of the equation: our interpretation of an event also shapes how we feel about it. So next time something gets under your skin, try three questions:

What am I actually feeling? Go beyond “bad” or “stressed”: embarrassed, disappointed, resentful, anxious?
What feels threatened? Perhaps certainty, autonomy, respect, fairness, belonging or recognition.
What does this situation actually require? Maybe you need to speak up or ask a question. Or maybe you just need 20 minutes before replying.

The goal isn’t to get rid of the emotion. It’s to work out what it’s telling you — and then decide what, if anything, you want to do about it. As Le Cunff puts it, “strong reactions can be useful clues.”

Read more here and see how it works out for you.

Routine Breakdown

Aimie Freeston, Owner of The Brownston Gallery

The Calm, Coastal Mornings of a Gallery Owner (& Her Dog)

For Aimie Freeston, owner of a leading contemporary fine art gallery in Modbury, Devon, mornings are about getting grounded before the working day begins. Her routine starts with meditation and movement at home, but the real highlight comes during her commute: an hour at the beach with her dog, Lhasa.

The Routine:

7am – Wake, hydrate and meditate. “Before I do anything, I always drink a glass of water and then meditate for 15 minutes.”
Move. After meditating, Aimie does some yoga stretches and lifts weights.
Breakfast – Coffee and porridge. “Then I sit down and have a cup of coffee, followed by a bowl of porridge.”
Get ready, then head to the beach. On her way to the gallery, Aimie stops at Bantham Beach with Lhasa. “We usually spend an hour there. Depending on the weather and the waves, I either surf or we go for a walk.”
Then, finally, work. “I feel very fortunate to live in a beautiful county with such a lovely coastline. By the time we get to the gallery, Lhasa and I feel energized and ready for the day ahead.”

Why it works:

There’s a lot packed into Aimie’s morning: meditation, movement, time outdoors, and a proper pause before work. But best of all is that none of it feels rushed. Instead of treating the journey to work as dead time, she’s built something she loves into it. And research has linked spending time in “blue spaces,” such as coastlines, to better well-being and mental restoration. Add some movement, fresh air, and a four-legged friend, and it’s a pretty appealing way to arrive at work!

Ever thought of deliberately putting something enjoyable or restorative between home and work?

Mickey Wilson

Productivity Tip:

Ask “Future Me”

When faced with a decision, here’s a simple question you can ask yourself: What would make tomorrow easier?

It’s tempting to optimize for what feels easiest right now. But taking a moment to picture the person who’ll have to deal with the consequences tomorrow can shift your perspective.

There’s actually some psychology behind this. Research on “future self-continuity” has found that when we feel more connected to our future selves, we’re more likely to make decisions that benefit us later rather than prioritizing immediate rewards.

So… wash the dishes before bed. Prep your lunch while you’re already in the kitchen. Write down the next step before closing your laptop. Put your gym clothes somewhere you’ll trip over them in the morning.

It doesn’t mean you have to choose the harder option every time. But what if you do Future You a favor more often?

Routine Breakdown

Mickey Wilson, CEO and Co-founder of Firestarter

How a CEO Uses Mornings to “Become Herself”

“I haven’t always been a morning person,” says Mickey Wilson. “In my twenties and thirties, I’d hit snooze about 14 times, get up at the last possible minute, get ready in ten minutes flat and fly out of the house.” These days, she’s the complete opposite. “Even if I have to be somewhere obscenely early, I’ll build in a full 90 minutes just to ‘become myself first’.”

The Routine:

5.30am – Wakes without an alarm (which she suspects “has less to do with impeccable discipline and more to do with age”), drinks a large glass of water with lime and checks her phone. “I know checking your phone first thing is probably against every piece of morning-routine advice ever written, but I still do it. I’m curious about what I’ve missed… and at least I hydrate while I’m committing the offence 😉.”
5.45am – Coffee and half an hour of reading. “This is probably my favourite part of the day. It’s the only completely uninterrupted ‘me’ time I get. I read all sorts, but usually fiction – it gets my creative brain going before anyone else gets access to it.”
6.15am – Decaf coffee and journalling. “Writing helps me work out what I’m actually thinking and feeling. I’m a creative strategist, and I’m also writing a book, so there are generally far too many ideas rattling around in my head. Journalling gives them a place to go.”
6.45am – Shower and get ready. “By now, I feel like I’ve actually elegantly arrived in the day rather than being catapulted into it. I shower, get dressed and get ready to head out.”
7.15am – Dog walk and biz-partner download. “I take my whippet, Loki, out for his morning walk and often speak to Chris, my business partner, at the same time. We talk through the day ahead, work through anything that’s bothering us, solve problems and, at the moment, debate whatever part of BRANDFIRE – the book we’re writing together – is occupying our brains. Walking seems to make conversations flow differently too.”
8.15am – Work time. “I get home, feed Loki and start my working day. By the time I sit down with my laptop, I’ve already read something, written something, spoken to someone, done about 7000 steps, and planned the day. For me, those first few hours aren’t really about productivity – they’re just about being me.”

Why it works:

She’s right – experts do say checking your phone first thing can cause stress and anxiety. That said, how and what you engage with makes a difference, so it comes down to what works for you.
Reading fiction may boost creativity and make us more empathetic, while journaling can be super beneficial for mental health.
Walking really does get your thoughts moving. One study found that a person’s creative output increased by an average of 60% when walking. Not to mention that it’s great for your health!

Mickey’s last point is really key, here: it’s not about productivity – in other words, it’s not about checking things off a list to do everything “right” – it’s about doing what makes her feel like herself. Isn’t that ultimately what any routine is about? 😌