The One Thing Leanna Ford Makes Time For Every Day
It's true that the life of any business owner can be a little chaotic. And that especially holds true for interior designers—perhaps doubly so for Leanne Ford. So when it comes to setting up a schedule, well, that can be a bit of a challenge.
"Let's be honest—the truth is I have no real schedule!" Leanne tells House Beautiful. "Everything changes day-to-day, and then changes on that day!"
Ford rose to stardom with her HGTV show Restored by the Fords, which she co-hosts with her brother, Steve Ford, but she also balances a full plate of private clients, brand collaborations, and book deals. And that's not to mention managing family life—Leanne and her husband, Erik Allen Ford, have a three-year-old daughter, Ever.
For some business owners with such a heavy load, strict scheduling is the only way to get things done. But Ford deliberately keeps somewhat of a freeform day, which allows her to maximize her productivity in her own way.
She intentionally builds "creative time" into her schedule, which allows her to maximize the periods she's feeling particularly productive. In some cases, that creative time is for something truly creative, like painting, doing pottery, or writing. In other cases, it could be brainstorming for an upcoming project.
"Sometimes in life you’re more about output, and sometimes you're more about input. And that’s okay!" says Ford. "The key for me is recognizing which it is and leaning into it. It all works out time-wise because they both need each other to be better."
She also stresses the value of sleep—which is why she's not a particularly early riser. "I so wish I was the kind of person to wake up at 5 a.m. to do something Zen-like, but I don't think anything is more valuable than sleep for my creativity or for my brain," she says.
So the designer sleeps in—until she hears Ever calling for her around 7 each morning. "I'm currently trying to teach her to yell 'good morning!' instead of 'ahhhh!' but we will get there," she laughs.
Ever also plays a role in Ford's end-of-day wind-down. "Ever girl-time starts at 3 on lucky days, and family time officially starts at 5, no matter what!" she says.
So while Ford's schedule might not be perfectly aligned with the strict boxes of a daily planner, it's a model that works for her, allowing her to reach her full business potential and be a mom. "I’m working on some very exciting projects right now, so my work life is fun, fun, fun!" she says.
Check out a day in Leanne Ford's life below.
7:00 a.m.: A wake-up call from Ever, followed by Cheerios and frozen waffles, then off to Montessori school. "If I'm lucky we listen to a little Bob Dylan or the Beatles on the way. If she's lucky we listen to Minnie Mouse something-or-other."
8:00 a.m.: Working out. "I pretend like I am going to work out for an hour. Sometimes I actually do—Pilates is my workout of choice right now. Sometimes I just think about how I would workout if I felt like it, and that does the trick."
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.: Off to work. The "Leanne Ford Interiors world headquarters" is located in Leanne's carriage house garage, so it's an easy commute.
"I recently read that your most creative stream-of-consciousness is in the morning, so I’m going to try to have 'free time' for whatever creatively comes my way that morning, and then the afternoon is to crank out emails, to-do lists, you name it," says Leanne. "There is usually a Crate and Barrel design or marketing meeting in there somewhere, and maybe a session or two with The Expert clients. And I check on whichever construction project I’m powering (trudging) through. I’m so lucky because even my to-do list is creative stuff!"
5:00 p.m.: Clock out for family time. "Dinner together, maybe a round of pickleball with friends, and then it’s time for books and bed for little Ever. She’s three and just got her big girl bed!"
8:00 p.m.: Bath time—for Leanne. "I take a super long bath—it's another creative outlet space for me!"
9:00–10:00 p.m. Lights out! "Days are exhausting, aren’t they?!"
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