Today’s CEOs are facing innumerable challenges: a global pandemic and a sea change in how and where employees want to show up for work, just to name a few. For leaders, the pressure has never been higher. How do they mitigate it? In our new series, we ask executives about their day-to-day wellness habits to gain insight into the tactics they use to minimize stress and maintain their well-being.
Lindsay McCormick is the Founder and CEO of Bite (Because It’s the Earth), makers of plastic-free, cruelty-free products on a mission to become the world’s most sustainable personal care company. McCormick has since built a multimillion-dollar company aimed at getting plastic out of our daily routines with her first product being viral toothpaste tablets in 2018. Since then, Bite has created an entirely plastic-free oral care set and most recently, released the first ever 100% plastic-free deodorant with compostable refills and its plastic-free and pump-free body balm.
Coffee or tea? And what do you put in it?
Yerba mate tea. I buy the loose leaf version so it’s plastic-free and make it in a French press every morning. When I first started drinking it, I would add agave and lemon but now I love the earthy flavor all on its own.
What is your go-to breakfast?
I’ve found that intermittent fasting helps keep up my energy and focus throughout the day, so I don’t eat breakfast but my go-to lunch is either granola with blueberries and coconut yogurt or the Thai tofu salad with kale from Erewhon.
Tell us about your workout routine.
I live right by the water so I love going for runs on the beach. It helps clear my head and there is nothing better than being outside. To stay in shape though, I take different classes at Equinox and The Studio (MDR) in the mornings—Megaformer Pilates, Tabata, yoga. I mix it up, but try to get in at least three classes per week.
How many hours do you sleep on a typical night?
I know it’s recommended to get 8 hours but I’ve found that 6 1/2 to 7 is really the sweet spot for me. I go to bed around 11 and wake up at 6am so that’s usually around or just under 7 hours. I function best that way.
How do you de-stress?
Spending time outside really helps me decompress—such as surfing or being on the water. It was actually while I was working as a surf instructor that I realized how much plastic was washing up on my board. This later inspired me to start my company, Bite. I also meditate and journal every morning.
According to your phone, what’s your daily average screen time from last week?
Five hours, 32 minutes which is super high—I was out of office at a conference last week so I was spending most of my time working from my phone. Today was a normal work day and I’m at two hours, 21 minutes which is more typical.
What app do you use the most?
Messages by far, which is surprising to me. I had never looked at that measurement on my phone! It makes sense though because I text for both work and personal so I’m on that app a lot.
When’s the last time you took a day off? What did you do?
I went to San Diego last weekend and took a half day Friday and all of Monday off. We rode the Pacific Surfliner down which is the Amtrak route right along the coast and spent the entire weekend hopping around vegan restaurants and swimming at Swami’s Beach in Encinitas. It was the first time I took a long weekend in way too long so we put work and cellphones away to make it feel like a true vacation.
What’s one thing your company is doing to prioritize employee wellness?
I believe being able to control your schedule and time is one of the most important things to mental health and wellness. Something that has been really impactful is rolling out what we call “Connected Hours” at Bite. Our company work hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT which is when we are all online and available for meetings and quick answers via Slack. Other than those hours, it’s entirely up to each person when they want to work and to be available, meaning if someone prefers to work mornings and end early to be with family they still know that they will be able to connect with and count on someone who is a night owl and prefers to roll out of bed right at 10 a.m. and work later. I’ve found it allows for the most employee autonomy while maintaining the speed necessary at a high-growth startup.
What’s your favorite treat?
Dark chocolate, specifically the Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean bar from Hu. It’s just the right amount of bitterness from the dark chocolate and sweetness from the cashew and vanilla bean.
Show us a photo of your happy place.
