Hailee Steinfeld, the Oscar-nominated actress and singer, knows the value of putting yourself first. Not only is it something she croons about in her own music, she implements it in her everyday life.
The “Love Myself” singer’s resume features a national tour, acting in films like “True Grit” and “Pitch Perfect 3,” and serving as an ambassador for Mission, a workout apparel and accessories brand. That hardly gives her enough time to think, let alone indulge in an elaborate self-care routine.
But that’s exactly why she makes time to do it.
Below, Steinfeld breaks down how she takes care of her body and brain, from sneaking in time for exercise to handling the pressure to appear perfect on social media. And it all starts the moment she wakes up.
Would you say that you’re a morning person or no?
Ahhh, no! I’m not.
What time do you like to wake up?
Ideally not before 10 a.m.
Do you use a snooze button?
You know what? I don’t think I’ve ever hit the snooze button more times than I did the other day. I don’t normally! What I usually do is set different alarms, but the other day I think I hit that button like seven times.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Oatmeal and scrambled eggs.
Do you prefer coffee, tea or neither?
Tea, but I don’t drink caffeine, so decaffeinated tea.
Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or at night?
Night.
What’s on your workout playlist right now?
Drake’s album.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Ugh, normally I check my phone, which is terrible! I’ve started sleeping with it on the other side of the room.
So, how do you make your health a priority every day?
I like to devote 15 minutes at least to some kind of physical activity. Whether it’s a beautiful day in New York and I take a walk or going down to the gym, whatever it is, just 15 minutes of movement. Making sure that’s a priority, especially when you’re always on the go, is crucial.
Mental health is obviously just as important as the physical aspect. What do you do for your mental well-being on a regular basis?
For me, personally, I love being around people ― I’m always around people ― but I’ve realized the importance of being alone and taking time for yourself or doing something for yourself. I’ve learned to like my “me time.”
What message do you have for fans who might be struggling with their own mental health?
Talk to someone, whether it’s your parents or a friend or a counselor. I think it’s important to not isolate yourself.
I was with a friend the other day who is also an artist and I was backstage and I was really nervous. In that moment I just instinctually removed myself from everyone and went and kind of just sat in the corner. My friend was like, “you know what would help with this is just being around people.” And it did. Know that it’s OK to feel the way you’re feeling and express yourself to people around you.
What do you tell yourself when you’re having a bad day?
Well, I tell myself this but I don’t always listen, but I say “it’s just a moment in time and it’ll pass.”
What’s your advice for dealing with the pressures of social media? Especially for young women who feel like they have to cultivate this “perfect” image online.
I feel it too! I’ve definitely fallen into the trap of scrolling and screenshotting things and comparing them to pictures of myself. It’s very easy to do that. It’s so hard not to, so you can’t just say “don’t do it” or “ignore it.” That’s not realistic because it’s there and it’s so accessible every day.
I always just try to put out what makes me feel good. At that point, it doesn’t really matter to me what anyone says because it’s something that I love and posted. I think that Instagram and Twitter and other social media platforms aren’t necessarily the best places to look for validation.
Finally, fill in the blank: My ideal morning consists of __________.
My ideal morning consists of sleeping in, staying in bed and maybe breakfast in bed. I don’t do that often because it freaks me out to have food in bed, but in a perfect world, breakfast in bed and sleeping late.