No caffeine, 3km runs around Parliament and falling asleep to a ‘serious’ ebook: Inside Allegra Spender’s daily routine

Chief executives, leading sports stars and media personalities have never been more aware of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. After all, they’re among some of the busiest people in the country.

These days, it’s all about self-care, balancing peak performance with the mental load – and making sure we all get those precious eight hours. But is a regular gym session, a coastal walk or an ocean swim enough? 

We asked Australia’s leading personalities about the routines and habits that support them in being the best at their game.

She was born into the public eye as the daughter of the late and great fashion designer Carla Zampatti, then forged her own career in Australia’s political landscape.

As Wentworth MP and co-founder of Community Strong Australia, Allegra Spender splits her time between Sydney and Canberra, which means strict rules have to be in place.

The kids packing their own lunches? A must. Three kilometre laps around Parliament House? A non-negotiable. No coffee? Wait, how?!

A day in the life of the 48-year-old is not for the faint of heart, balancing the community’s needs while prioritising time with the people closest to her (that’s three children and a husband, by the way).

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Here are the habits that keep her at the top of her game.

Talk us through the morning routine that sets you up for success

Normally, I’ll go for a run. I probably run five mornings a week for half an hour, sometime between 5.30-6am. 

Is there a popular morning habit that doesn’t make the cut?

I don't drink caffeinated coffee, which makes me a bit weird. I worked out how to get going without coffee.

No coffee? We couldn’t function. What do you drink instead?

I drink decaf − I’m never caffeinated.

Wow, that’s not easy to do − you must sleep better without caffeine. Have you got any other secrets to a good night’s sleep?

What I try to do is genuinely stay away from my phone for about half an hour before bed.

If I can’t sleep at night, or I wake up with things on my mind, I’ll put on a serious non-fiction book at very low volume, and that can often send me back to sleep.

Interesting! Do you have any book recommendations?

Yes, I've got one called Statecraft, which is actually an excellent book. It's about foreign affairs and statecraft.

Let’s talk about food: Do you have a lazy meal or snack that keeps you fuelled when you don’t have time to cook?

I'd say scrambled eggs with Vegemite and toast. I'm a slow-cooked scrambled egg kind of a girl. My husband's got me into that.

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Scrambled eggs for dinner: yay or nay?

Yes, definitely. It’s good because it’s nourishing. It’s still protein, but it’s light. It’s a winner, 100 per cent.

What about activity: If you only had 15 minutes to be active on your busiest, most exhausting day, what would that look like for you?

It would be a superfast run. Occasionally, if I don’t have a lot of time in Canberra, I’ll just do two rounds of Parliament. It’s only like 3km or something, so it’s not long but just enough to get you going.

Is there one task you've automated or outsourced to save brain power for more important things?

I would say my kids making their own lunches. I've made them make their own lunches since they were in about Year One, and it is a really nice thing that that doesn't add stress to my day when I'm in Sydney. 

They’ve got guidelines, so they have got to have a fresh fruit or vegetable, a sandwich wrap and only one muesli bar.

What about a boundary you’ve set in your career or personal life that has helped reduce your stress levels?

I have a maximum number of nights I go out for work a week in Sydney, and that helps me. 

Sometimes I have to break it, but it is a good guideline because otherwise you're out every single night. When I'm in Canberra, it’s a different kettle of fish.

If you’re invited out so often, how do you protect that boundary? 

I won’t cancel at the last minute, but I will RSVP no.

You have to prioritise. This is a job. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And what you want is to come out of this having made a contribution, but also still having a good relationship with the family.

If you could set down your mental load for one evening, what would you make time for?

The thing is, having completely undistracted time with your family … I think that’s the challenge of the job, being with your family but still, [there are] different issues trickling in behind your head.

That’s the biggest challenge: how to be fully present with your kids when other things are on your mind.

How do you block out that noise?

When things are really on my mind, I’ll often write them down in a journal because I think that helps you deal with it. If I wake up at two in the morning, that’s the other thing I’ll do, if I’m particularly worried about something, [I’ll write it] down. 

There's a lot of evidence to show that writing something down helps your brain deal and allows it to settle down again.

We’ll remember that! Now if you could get every Aussie to try just one habit that you find beneficial in your own routine, what would it be?

I think it is probably writing down your worries. I’m not an everyday journal kind of person, but in the times of high stress in my life, it has really helped me, and that’s something I would suggest.