Hailee Steinfeld’s Routine: Turning Off Her Phone, Learning to Cook

Hailee Steinfeld credits her personal trainer father for her love of fitness and how she balances work and play.

And she’s certainly been working hard.

The American singer and actor, best-known for her roles in the “Pitch Perfect” franchise and “True Grit,” will this year star alongside Michael B. Jordan in the gritty horror movie “Sinners.”

When she’s not working, the 28-year-old who lives in LA can often be found working out. Keeping active has always been part of her life, Steinfeld told Business Insider. That doesn’t look set to change considering she’s engaged to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Balance comes in the form of leisurely Sunday morning pancakes and Friday night margaritas.

In the latest installment of BI’s “5 to 9” series, where celebrities share how they spend the hours they’re not working, the Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA-nominated actor shares her morning and evening routines.

How do you start the day?

I get up between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. I try to be on the early side of that, but I’ve recently become a snooze hitter.

I like to workout first thing to help me start my day with as clear a mind as possible. It helps me get everything in order because the rest of the day normally becomes a blur.

Have you always loved fitness?

My dad is a personal trainer, which is the greatest thing in the world. Because of that, health, wellness, and movement have always been priorities in my life. He is the greatest example of understanding the importance of it without feeling any pressure to do so.

As I get older, I take so much more care in taking care of myself and getting that movement in. My workouts vary depending on my schedule and what I have to bring to the table that day. If I’m feeling exhausted, a two-hour intense workout is not going to serve me.

Working out has become something I do for my mental health as much as physical. Whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour, it’s a space for me to turn everything else off and focus on myself and what my body is capable of. It’s about getting in there and challenging your mind and your body. That’s why I’m constantly changing my workout routine.

What do you like to have for breakfast?

Oh god, I’m a big breakfast person. Often, I just have a bowl of oatmeal and a banana before working out, but if we’re talking about a Sunday breakfast, I love avocado toast and pancakes with a little whipped cream.

Delicious. Do you make your own pancakes, order in, or go out?

I love to make them myself but it doesn’t always go as planned, so I do sometimes go out. Then you get the guaranteed taste and presentation. When I make them, it’s one or the other.

Cooking and margaritas

What do you do when you come home after work?

I have gotten so much better at coming home and leaving the day at the door. Even if I’ve had a great day, it’s time to come home and turn my phone off. If I don’t, I can start the day scrolling then come home and it’s still emails and calls and texts and social media and all the things. Your brain doesn’t stop.

I’m lucky to live in beautiful warm weather so if I can, I like to be in nature, hear birds chirp, and look at the trees and leaves blowing in the wind. I feel like that’s become a huge part of my after-work decompress process.

What do you have for dinner?

Cooking is very therapeutic for me. I love to flip to a random page in a recipe book and just go for it. I am always working on a signature dish. I love a good one-pot recipe because it’s easy, and I feel confident that there’s not a lot of room to mess up. But I love experimenting.

There are some people in this world who are blessed and are just good at cooking. There are others who have had to work at that. I am in that process right now. Learning how to cut vegetables properly, for example, can make you feel really empowered.

What do you like to drink?

I have a beautiful bar and when I moved into my home I thought, “I can’t wait to have friends over and have a signature cocktail I can make them.” A margarita is my go-to, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to make a perfect one.

And now I have that in Angel Margarita, my new ready-to-drink margarita [Steinfeld spoke to Business Insider to mark the drink’s launch]. I wish my margaritas tasted like that when I make them in my bar, but I don’t have to do that anymore.

My ideal night out or night in is just good company, great food, and great drink, and I think a margarita goes with whatever I’m trying to make in the kitchen.

There’s something that feels very sophisticated about having a little drink while you’re cooking.

You nailed it on the head. With cooking, it does make you feel sophisticated. It’s your own space, you’re in control of what you’re making and how you’re making it. And then with a beautiful, wonderful-tasting drink on the side, add in a couple of people that you love, it doesn’t get much better than that.

‘Peaky Blinders’ and skincare

Is skincare a big part of your evening routine?

I love a skincare moment. As time goes on, I take more interest in understanding what works for my body, my skin, and my routine. It’s about washing the day away, decompressing, and those moments of quietness, calmness, and breathing.

Do you like to read or watch TV in the evenings?

I can’t believe I’m about to admit this as I’m so far behind, but I have one episode left of “Peaky Blinders.” That’s been a big part of the wind-down, an episode of “Peaky.” But I don’t know what the heck I’m going to do when I finish that tonight. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board.

You can feel a bit bereft when that happens. Moving on, do you generally sleep well?

It depends, generally well but maybe not long enough. It’s tough when you’re traveling and not in your own space, but nothing a little white noise or calming music can’t help you get through.

Have you always struck a good balance between following healthy principles and looking after yourself with enjoying life and having fun? Or has that taken time to work out?

A bit of both. I think I’ve always had a good balance, I look to my parents for that. They’re both incredibly hardworking people but they love a good time and to celebrate their hard work.

I love to work hard. I love what I do, and it’s hard to keep doing that if you don’t take care of yourself. But part of taking care of yourself is celebrating your achievements and life itself.

I think I’ve learned how important it is to surround yourself with people you love, who lift you up, and make you feel good — and vice versa.