How Jewelry Designer Anna Sheffield Begins Her WFH Mornings

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before diving into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every Monday and Friday morning here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

Anna Sheffield is known for her beautiful and unique jewelry designs—especially among the fashion set. With a degree in sculpture, the designer uses her childhood in the Southwest as inspiration for her pieces. Sheffield recently gave us a glimpse into her morning routine in the midst of quarantine. We were drawn to her rituals since having some mindful moments, especially now, can really set you up for a good day. Take a look at how she spends her mornings.

I usually hit the ground running right when I wake up. Before I do anything, I take my Seed probiotics and drink a nice tall glass of water. Then for the rituals…

First off, I rinse my face with cold water and then apply a few drops of my favorite Wonder Valley face oil and roll it out! This process is good for getting the goodness of the oil into the skin, and it doubles as a de-puffing device for the under-eyes.

I've usually started the morning ritual in my robe, which looks like a sunrise, is SO soft, and—added bonus—makes me feel fancy and adult. It was a sweet gift from my husband, who bought it for me after we stayed at Hotel San Jose in Austin for New Year's Eve. But it can't go on forever, so I do in fact get dressed.

No day is complete (especially these days) without a comfy outfit that is Zoom-ready, summery, and still feels like I mean business. (I'll often opt for a onesie.) Also, I am never not wearing jewelry (naturally), so what I don't leave on all the time (most things I do live/work/sleep in) goes on at the start of the day. I keep my earrings and rings in little bowls by my bed, and I'll usually choose them either before and they inform the outfit, or after so they complement it.

Next, I'm hitting the kitchen to make my tea, which is a special blend of goodness I developed after giving up coffee a few years ago. Once the kettle is ready, I steep my rooibos tea for a few minutes. Then, I add my superfoods—maca, cacao, and some form of mushroom, which I usually rotate depending on what I feel I need. Presently, I am using lion's mane for my mental cognition; it also helps with anxiety and balancing sleep cycles. I finish off with some honey and homemade milk (or mylk), which, during quarantine, has become very elaborate. I usually mix a bunch of seeds or nuts together so I am getting different nutrients every few days. (Note: I collect spoons, so I have a bevy of interesting ones to choose from for making potions or concoctions requiring a stir or a certain size spoonful.)

A new obsession since this stay-at-home began is sprouting (any and everything). So while the tea is brewing, I check in on my sprouts, in this case, freekeh (or farik), giving them a rinse and then putting them back in their bowl while they do their thing. These are close! Will likely go on my salad later.

If I have time before meetings and calls start, I will take my tea to my front windows and let the sun wash over me. Before I get to work, I love to burn a little sage or something in my office in the morning too, as it helps me get settled into a flow. I particularly love these beautiful sticks from Rituals Incense. If I need some direction or inspiration, I might draw a card from the Stone Crystal deck. Also, I often take a moment to look at what I have in works, loose gemstones I need to design for or new pieces in the collection. I may have to-do list items that include writing about the jewelry design or thinking of ways to photograph or otherwise communicate about them digitally, especially lately. Our Talisman collection is new, and the necklaces can be made with different pieces and design elements that bring certain energy to the wearer, like a talisman should. So we are working on new ways to convey that on our website while I'm also thinking of new talismans to offer in the coming months.

Once I've had my tea and cycled through my morning rituals, I sit down at my desk to work. I seldom eat breakfast, unless I'm on vacation or it's something festive, like weekend brunch. But at noon or 1, I might be thinking of whether I'll make a salad or rework something from dinner into lunch. Luckily, the kitchen is right there! And we've been growing herbs, sprouting, and recently, harvesting my tiny blueberries, so the salads are fun and colorful! Work from home has its perks.