How I Wake Up: Jim VandeHei
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We've been intrigued by Jim VandeHei's new interest in transcendental meditation, described in his column about life and leadership in the Axios Finish Line newsletter.
- So we caught up with our Axios co-founder/CEO, who also co-founded Politico, to hear how he starts his days in the uber-busy media universe.
⏰ Wake-up time: 4:30am to 5am, via iPhone alarm.
- Seven hours of sleep, per Oura Ring.
😴 First thing he does: Check texts and emails as "coffee engine cranks up."
- He is in work mode starting "in my dreams and then within minutes of waking. Stop judging!"
🧘♂️ Power workout: CorePower hot yoga sculpt.
- Or alternating days with weight lifting and twice-weekly 6- to 10-mile jogs.
🧠 Morning zen: To kill distractions, VandeHei and his Axios co-founders Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz picked up transcendental meditation last year.
- "In an ideal world, I meditate and pray each morning," VandeHei says. "In the real world, um, let's say I am a work in progress."
🍞 Must-eat: Two slices of Ezekiel bread with six egg whites, or oatmeal with real maple syrup and fruit.
💡 Must-do: Writing in the mornings "when my mind is fresh and clear."
❌ No TV or radio: "I am text-only in AMs religiously."
🛻 Commute: To the Axios HQ in Clarendon, via Ford F-150.
🌇 Confession: "I am probably too nutty about my routine and should lighten the hell up."
Check out more morning rituals:
- Tech journalist Kara Swisher
- Soccer player Trinity Rodman
- CNN's Jim Sciutto