It can be hard to get a journalist’s blood pumping early in the morning. Most are barely getting by, with shallow wallets, fake news pundits, and layoffs—it’s enough to drive them crazy if they let it.
The news business is all taking and no giving, so pour yourself a cup of ambition, and wait for the day when the tide’s gonna turn and your ship will come in. Relax, it’s all going to roll your way. (Yes, that was 92.5 percent paraphrased Dolly Parton lyrics.)
“I often work from home and frequently leap from bed to work sans pants. I apply pants later during a mid-morning break. I’m not proud of this.”
Tristin Hopper, Reporter, National Post
“Mornings don’t begin until I hear Matt Galloway’s voice in my kitchen. Still groggy, I stumble downstairs, flip the switch on the coffee maker, and another on the radio tuned to CBC’s Metro Morning. It’s a Pavlovian response. I don’t really wake up until Matt’s words cut through my morning brain fog to bring on a new day. Thank you, Matt.”
Kathy English, Public Editor, the Toronto Star
“I need to check Twitter to see if anyone has liked any of my attempts at humour. And if they haven’t, then I am despondent for the rest of the day.”
Mathew Ingram, Chief Digital Writer, Columbia Journalism Review
“I think shower is my answer here. I would say yoga, which I’m new to (like some sort of coma victim who just woke up after 30 years). But I don’t do that every morning. I do shower.”
Bruce Arthur, Sports Columnist, the Toronto Star
“I have a weird tendency to sit on the bathroom floor, warming myself with the hairdryer, while scrolling through social media. I’ll look at Instagram (for memes), Twitter (for news), and Facebook (to see if I’ve forgotten a friend’s birthday), and then I start again from the top. It’s like a less guilt-inducing but incredibly more psychotic snooze button.”
Nick Haramis, Editor-in-Chief, Interview
“Leave time for a real conversation over breakfast. A moment of calm before the deluge.”
Kevin Newman, News Anchor, CTV
“Drink black coffee.”
Josh Visser, Managing Editor, Vice Canada
“Spend a little quality time with my dog, Rufus. Watching him get totally stoked on the outdoors playing with other dogs gives me perspective to not take life too seriously. A few days a week, Rufus and I will go for a run together. It’s my favourite form of multitasking: Exercise for me, exercise for him. Boom! Two things done at once!”
Sarah Boesveld, Senior Writer, Chatelaine
“Lie around in bed stressing about something inconsequential while my coffee gets cold, because I’m not very smart.”
Denise Balkissoon, Opinion Columnist, The Globe and Mail
“Drive my kids to school. The news biz is unpredictable so this might be the only part of the day that my teenagers and I will get to connect for a few minutes.”
David Akin, Chief Political Correspondent, Global News
“I like to read the paper old-school style! And then I read The Business of Fashion online. I also try to do a 15-min session with my Headspace app. Key word here is ‘try.’”
Noreen Flanagan, Editor-in-Chief, Fashion
“Before I start my day I listen to the The Daily podcast from The New York Times because it is a smart, civilized entrée into news of the day. Michael Barbaro doesn’t yell at me or even raise his voice.”
Lisa LaFlamme, Chief News Anchor, CTV
“Eat food. A hungry Duncan is not a happy Duncan.”
Duncan McCue, Host, CBC