Let’s kick off the Whatever She’s Doing interview series!
I’m endlessly inspired by the ambitious moms and women around me who are somehow doing it all and making it look effortless. Especially living and working in the Bay Area—the moms around me have BIG demanding careers, are hands-on moms, stay fit, look cute, travel, have clean houses, the list goes on. But I’m always wondering…HOW. What are the exact tips, tricks, tools that the rest of us can use?
Introducing Laurin, our first guest! We’ve known each other for about four years (I think? What year is it again?). We met while working at Benefit Cosmetics where she is Director of Global Marketing Campaigns (hello, cool job), and bonded over mom-ing, a mutual obsession with jumpsuits, and hot girl habits (we still trade links to Emma Grede and Lauryn Bosstick interviews). She’s an incredible human, so warm and kind, smart and a badass at work, and is always ready to share the products she’s using, parenting hacks that are working, and the different ways she’s prioritizing health and wellness.
I sat down to chat with Laurin (and by sat down I mean–I sat down and took notes, she walked up a hill with her dog while pushing a baby stroller. I told you: badass) about raising four kids (!), working remotely, creating routines that can survive chaos, and accepting that you can’t kill it at work and in motherhood every single day (which it turns out, is ok). Here, all the behind the scenes scoop on…
Work & life schedule
Morning & night routines
Go-to breakfast, lunch, and dinners
Health & fitness habits
Ride-or-die products
And more…
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Give me the quick snapshot: What does your life look like right now?
Oh my goodness. It’s a circus.
I have four kids, and they’re all in completely different seasons of life. My oldest is almost nine. She’s my little mini-best-friend bookworm, and it’s so fun watching her grow into a young lady. She asks crazy questions and sometimes knows more than I do. It’s wild. She’s not quite in the preteen years yet, so we’re in this sweet spot.
Then it’s just mayhem with my four- and three-year-olds. They have these spitfire personalities and bounce off each other all day. They’re high-energy from morning until night. Being constantly overstimulated is both hilarious and exhausting.
And then I have an eight-month-old who was the chill little caboose of the family but is now really coming into her own. She’s no longer just a lump on the floor. Now she’s crawling toward the stairs like a moth to a light.
We’re also juggling a new home, a new city and time between California and Nebraska. The second we figure something out, our routine changes again. I’m such a Type A control freak, but people say that once you have four kids, you learn to give in to the chaos. I feel like I’m there. You just have to give up a lot of the control and go with the flow.
What feels especially good right now?
I’m so lucky that my husband is completely 50/50 in our parenting. By the fourth kid, you have this wisdom about not sweating the small stuff and getting over the humps together.
We know our areas, and it’s really nice being able to lean on each other when we’ve hit our quota. I’m the morning person, and he’s the night person. I’ll do breakfast, get everyone dressed and get them out the door. On nights when I’m tapped, he handles bath, books and bed. We’ve found this great sweet spot in parenting.
We both work fully remotely, which is a blessing but can also be a curse. My mom might pop over, the nanny is there and kids are coming in. It can be hard to create a real divide between work and home.
But we usually have a little time in the morning to work out, go for a walk or get a fancy coffee. I’m loving my mornings right now. The afternoons are a little crazier.
Walk me through a typical workday, from when you start until you’re actually done.
It’s meetings on meetings, so I block off time to actually tackle projects and have that heads-down time for myself.
I typically get online at 10 a.m. my time, which is 8 a.m. Pacific, so I have a little head start before everyone else is online. I’ll do some personal admin, like checking a school form or paying a bill, because otherwise it’s weighing on my to-do list for the rest of the day.
Then I look at my calendar, make my to-do list and start working. My calls usually begin around 11. They help me get into work mode and kick-start the day.
My husband and I also have an informal team brief every morning: What does your day look like? When are your calls? Who can handle pickup or volleyball drop-off? We have help with the kids, and my parents are super helpful with pickup, but I try to do it when I can. It’s a constant tag team.
It’s not consistent—yet!
How do you keep work from taking over your entire day?
At the end of the workday, I’m officially done. I need to be with my kids. So that means I need to work super efficiently during the day to make sure everything gets done.
I have all my work apps on my phone—Teams, email, meetings—so I can take calls or respond whenever I need to. Voice texting helps so much. Leveraging AI tools to collect and organize my notes has also been huge. Truly life-changing.
Blocking my calendar into chunks is really important. I protect time to get my own work done and then leave open time for meetings.
What time do you wake up, and what’s your morning routine?
Before my youngest was born, I was such a pro at waking up before the kids and being on the offense. I used to get up at 5:45 and go to an F45 class or take a walk.
Now I sleep until 6:30. I’m still giving myself a little time, but I often have my three-year-old early riser alongside me for company.
My husband and I fill a big glass bowl with ice water and dunk our faces in it every morning. Now the kids are starting to do it, too. It wakes you up, tightens your skin and helps calm your body down. It’s like brushing our teeth. We each do it twice for at least 20 seconds. The second time is always more shocking!
My morning routine is muscle memory at this point. It’s comforting because it’s one consistent thing I can count on.
What does breakfast look like in your house?
My two middle kids get a smoothie every morning. They love it. They beg for it!
Once every week or two, I prep the dry ingredients in mason jars: a scoop of chocolate protein powder (Be Well by Kelly or Clean Simple Eats), hemp seeds, flaxseed, peanut butter, a little salt and about a quarter cup of oatmeal. In the morning, I drop in a banana, add milk and blend it in the NutriBullet. Then I’m not worried about the crap they eat for the rest of the day.
I eat the same thing almost every morning: one egg, a scoop of cottage cheese and egg whites, all scrambled together. I love it with arugula and nutritional yeast on top. Sometimes I’ll add sourdough from the farmers market or berries if I’m really hungry.
I used to drink coffee and then not eat until much later. Now, I think it’s so important to hydrate and eat something before having coffee. I start with an electrolyte and creatine mixture (Re-Lyte or LMNT electrolytes, Thorne creatine), eat my eggs and then have my coffee. I delay caffeine now and don’t depend on it.
What does your nighttime routine look like?
Just like I want to be on the offense in the morning, I’m a big believer in giving myself some time at night. It’s not just for me; it’s also important for the kids to have a consistent bedtime. It’s a win-win.
I used to be crazy about getting everyone to sleep at exactly 7 p.m. They all used to go to bed at the same time. Now my oldest stays up a little later, and with so many kids in different stages, I’ve had to let go. It’s honestly felt kind of freeing.
My me-time is usually from about 7:30 to 9. I’m lights-out no later than 10.
What do you do at night to make the next morning easier?
I can’t go to bed with a dirty kitchen. I tidy the house, shut off the lights, clean the counters and get everything ready for the next day.
I also pack the kids’ lunches at night. I make the sandwiches and cut up the cucumbers and fruit. The rotation is quesadillas, PB&J, a bagel with cream cheese or a turkey sandwich. They almost always get a cucumber and whatever fruit is in season. In the morning, I just add the snacks and any last-minute extras.
Then I wash my face with Cocokind face wash. It’s so gentle. When I do more skincare steps, it creates more skin issues, so I keep it simple: face wash, an oil and face cream. Then I brush my teeth and use my Omnilux red-light mask (which I found for way less on Facebook Marketplace!).
Finally, I read on my Kindle. The Kindle was life-changing for me. I’m ride or die. Once in a while, I’ll watch a show with my husband, but I’m not good at watching TV by myself. It’s not my thing.
What does your week in workouts look like, and when do you fit them in?
If I don’t get my workout done in the morning, it looms over me all day. When I do it in the morning, my attitude is happier, the endorphins are pumping and I can check it off my list. There’s no excuse.
I went through a long stretch of doing F45 because it was only 45 minutes. Honestly, I would sometimes skip the last five minutes so I could get out of there in 35 or 40. As important as stretching is, I would leave early if I had to. I loved that there were no mirrors, so I wasn’t judging myself. It was different every day, and I didn’t have to think about it.
I recently shifted to Fit With Coco, which is a little more Pilates-focused. With a fourth kid, working out at home lets me shave off the commuting time. Forty-five minutes is the absolute maximum for me. Ideally, I work out four days a week, but at least three.
I also walk a ton. Walking is therapeutic for me, almost like meditation. It changes my attitude. I’m getting sunlight in my eyeballs, fresh air and nature. I can also bring someone on a scooter, a kid on a bike, two dogs and the stroller. I’m burning their energy, they’re outside and we’re all getting exercise together.
What’s your go-to weekday lunch?
I’m a big yogurt girlie because it’s easy. I’ll have Greek yogurt with Purely Elizabeth granola, Be Well by Kelly protein powder, blueberries and whatever other fruit I have.
What’s your go-to easy dinner?
There are a few meals in the rotation. One is Goodles with ground beef and a little tomato paste. It’s like a healthier Hamburger Helper. Sometimes I’ll put broccoli in there, too. It’s fast, but it still feels like comfort food.
There’s always taco night every Tuesday. We have to have avocados, and I love all the Siete products, especially the seasoning.
Another go-to is ground-chicken broccoli cheddar patties. The kids love them, and they’re great leftover. We’ll make homemade sweet potato fries or Jessie’s fries, which are so good.
We also do spaghetti and meatballs or Bolognese, and teriyaki chicken rice bowls. That’s basically our menu every single week!
What supplement or wellness habit has made a noticeable difference for you?
Creatine has been the biggest hack for me. I think my postpartum experience was so much better this time because of it. It gave me more energy on nights when I didn’t sleep, and I felt like the brain fog was truly lifted.
There’s a stigma that creatine is bulky and for men, but I take it more for my mind. Both my grandma and grandpa had Alzheimer’s, so brain health is something I think about a lot.
Of course, women should talk to their doctors about what’s appropriate for them, especially during pregnancy or postpartum.
What’s your go-to outfit?
A jumpsuit. It puts you together from head to toe, and it’s super comfy.
What’s your favorite app?
ChatGPT. From finding cool places to get ice cream, to figuring out baby sleep habits, to building an itinerary for a staycation, to helping me create a marketing brief—it touches all facets of my life.
I’m a very curious person and a researcher, and it has only helped with that. I don’t know how I lived without it. It’s my best little sidekick and has made life so much more manageable.
I finally upgraded to the paid version, and I can’t believe I waited so long. It’s so worth it.
What’s the best thing you’ve bought for under $100?
Jelly flats. They can elevate an outfit that doesn’t feel trendy and give you that feeling of freshness. There are other things in my closet that I’ve owned for 10 years, so I like adding one small, trendier piece.
What kitchen appliance can’t you live without?
My NutriBullet. I’ve had it for nine years! It’s so easy to clean.
I hate the Vitamix because it’s massive and so much to clean. I actually don’t have an air fryer, but I might need one.
What’s the last great book you read?
Into the Blue. So good! It’s a little longer, but it completely took me away.
What’s your current beauty obsession?
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil. I realized the importance of a good brow when I started working at Benefit. Even if I don’t wear mascara, I need a good brow.
What would you happily outsource forever?
Putting sheets on beds. I hate it!
I’m also very happy to outsource cleaning the house. I’ll give up other luxuries, but I want a cleaning lady at least once a month. During the times when we haven’t had one, we’ve ended up stuck inside cleaning the house on a Saturday. That does not bring me joy.
What do you want to know about how other women make their lives work?
I want to know: how are people juggling their kids being in so many activities?
Right now, I only have one child who is old enough to be involved in a lot of activities. But when you have multiple kids going in different directions—how are moms doing it? If anyone knows, tell me!
What’s one thing every ambitious woman should know?
You’re never going to have balance.
Some days you’re a good mom, and some days you’re a good worker—but rarely are you both. The quicker you can come to terms with that and understand that the balance shakes out over time, the better.
There will be five days when you crush your job and then five days when you crush being a mom. You’re not going to do it all in one day.
I think it gets easier over time. When I had my first child, I was weeping because I felt like I never saw her and was missing all these things. Now that I have four, I’m more okay knowing that we’ll get quality time together on the weekends.
The balance isn’t in every single day. It’s in the long game.
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Okay, I’m seriously influenced to get a Nutribullet (I have a Vitamix and do indeed hate cleaning it, wahh) and start making smoothies again. And also do the ice dunk. And read Into the Blue. So many good tips, thank you Laurin!
Connect with Laurin on LinkedIn–she’s the best!
Every person interviewed on Whatever She’s Doing is doing so out of the goodness of their heart and to support this Substack. Please make sure all comments are made with warmth and respect.
HOW AMBITIOUS WOMEN ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORK
I love this piece! It's inspiring but also realistic. Thank you for sharing!!
TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!