Real Routines x Co-Founders Leland Drummons and Michele Thomas
Leland Drummons and Michele Thomas are the Co-Founders of AZIONE, a creative communications agency in L.A and LDMA, a brand of high-performance, compression underwear.
Take Three
Leland:
- The way you make others feel is your business card and trademark. It’s what will leave a lasting mark far longer than your profession. Be kind, be authentic, and listen as much as you speak.
- Sometimes the best way to fly is to jump without checking the parachute. Trust your gut, take risks, be confident in your presence, be clear on your intentions. People will read and respond to your energy.
- This manifestation meditation has helped me a lot along with 11 years of a TM practice (transcendental meditation)
Michele:
- Carve a moment from your busy day just for yourself. Whether it's going for a run or booking a Pilates class, embracing any form of self-care that brings you joy will not only brighten your day but also enhance your productivity, I assure you.
- Grant yourself grace. In our roles as both busy women and dedicated entrepreneurs, we frequently hold ourselves to exceptionally high standards. Afford yourself the room to error without harboring the feeling of failure or falling short of your goals.
- Pay it forward. None of us reached our current positions alone. Remember to lend a helping hand to those who could benefit from your guidance or simply contribute to those in need, whether it's through your time, connections, or more. The act of giving back brings a profound sense of fulfillment to me.
My Routines
Leland’s morning routine: I do tongue scraping with a copper scraper–helps with digestion, meditation (usually 10-20 min), I take a bunch of supplements (I work with David Allen for nutrition and have for several years), hang with my two boys (3 and 7) and take them to school on half the days, then typically do a workout and go straight into the work day where I divide time between AZIONE our agency and LDMA. I always start the day with caffeine…. Coffee or matcha depending on my mood. This matcha is my fave.
Leland’s evening routine: We make dinner for the family and try and get a bit of play time with the kids before bath time, reading and the night routines. Sometimes after the kids are asleep, I’ll do a red light mask and evening journal /reading or my husband and I will watch a tv show to unwind. We don’t really watch much tv so this is a bit of a rarity. We always listen to a theta meditation track when going to sleep. Love this one.
Leland’s Workout routine: I do these two workouts most frequently: Justin Gelband who I do personal training with via Zoom and Ashley Eckhoff whose app I use along with training in person usually once/week. Sometimes we film workouts together (see on demand section) which is fun. I also love reformer pilates and it’s woven into my PT sessions and I do classes as well. I usually workout 4-5 days a week and do walks on the days I don’t do a workout. I also try to stretch as much as possible.
Leland’s Relax Routine:
- Meditate: at least 20 minutes a day
- Red light (higher dose makes an amazing face mask and sauna blanket) and she also loves an infrared sauna (combined with 1.)
- Face mask / eye masks (combine with 1. and 2.)
Michele’s morning routine: I typically wake up at 5 AM, start my day by checking emails, have a cup of decaffeinated coffee (as I avoid caffeine), and then get the kid's school lunches ready. Around 7 AM, I get my kids ready for school, and once I've dropped them off, I focus on handling emails and taking calls for the rest of the day.
Michele’s evening routine: Evenings in my household are unequivocally dedicated to family time. With soccer practices and homework in the mix, my kids and I also make it a point to choose an enjoyable activity, whether it's face painting or drawing, ensuring that we end the day with quality time together.
Michele’s workout routine: Run 2-3 miles in the morning on the treadmill and then 4 times a week add a pilates class in the afternoon at SeaFit Pilates which is a Lagree studio.
Favorite Things:
Leland:
Watching: Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers on Hulu
Reading: The Book of Awakening- Mark Nepo (always by my bedside.)
Listening to: Abraham Hicks (shorts on youtube) and Teddy Swims
Easy cooking recipe: I’m not the best cook, but I make a mean bolognese (hint: add carrots and cinnamon sticks to sauce)
Children’s Toys: Depends on the age, but I bought a mini bounce house for them and my 7 and 3 year old used it from sunrise to sundown for the first month or so.
Michele:
Reading: I’m currently reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Ruben.
Dinner Advice: Nobody wants to hear from me on cooking. My advice is to have your mother-in-law move into the neighborhood like me and head to her house around dinner time :)
Children’s Toys: My kids are 6 and 8 years old, and I would say good old-fashioned toys that get them outside and playing. Soccer ball, baseball, and a bat. They have more fun running around outside than sitting on ipads.
Vacation: If I can recommend one vacation spot to go and relax away from the day-to-day would be the Cayman Islands. The island is the most beautiful island with the friendliest people. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it as your next destination go-to.
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