Cancel

Why Matcha Collagen Is Digital Project Manager Olivia Fuller's Ride Or Die (+ An Adorable Recipe!)

by Jordan Smith, NASM-CPT - November 08, 2021

Welcome to The Vital Life where we spotlight Vital Proteins® employees. This week, our Digital Project Manager, Olivia Fuller, gives us a look inside her remote workday.

Lively: Thanks for sharing your day with us! To kick things off, can you tell us about what you do at Vital Proteins and what you enjoy about your role?

Olivia Fuller: I am the Digital Project Manager at Vital Proteins. I work to build a bridge between software developers, testers and business units to produce digital products, such as new pages on our website. I love being able to work with lots of different teams as well as live on the techy side of things!

L: Walk us through your morning routine – how has it changed (or not) since staying home?

OF: First thing after rolling out of bed, I like to drink a tall glass of water and open my shades to my view of Old Town Chicago. Then, I head to my kitchen for morning matcha, made with Vital Proteins® Matcha Collagen ($53; shop now). I drink it hot or iced depending on the season with oat milk, a few drops of vanilla sweetener and water. I'll drink it while doing a crossword or sudoku to wake my brain up. It's the highlight of my morning!

If I'm feeling a morning workout, I will head to the gym or out for a run and then have a protein shake, made with the Vital Proteins® Original Collagen Peptides ($27; shop now) — a must in any smoothie, because it's just too easy). If I plan to work out in the afternoon, I'll have Collagen Gummies ($17.99; shop now) before diving into work for the day. I try to operate on a "listen to your body" schedule when it comes to what time I exercise during the day so I can give it 100 percent each session.

L: Where have you been getting inspiration for projects or tasks you might be working on throughout the day?

OF: I try to keep myself in the position of the customer so when the team is thinking through design or development, I can support our customers' perspective. Sites where I personally like to shop help with this. I take into consideration what I like and don't like, note what's hard to use or what makes the experience easy, etc. I also try to do something that supports professional development at least once a quarter, whether it's a certification course, LinkedIn Learning, or a virtual conference.

L: Lunchtime! What's your plan?

OF: Midday is usually a busy time for me since my team spans all U.S. time zones. I'll keep it quick and easy with fruit and a toast of some kind. Right now, it's peanut butter and bananas with honey, cinnamon, and chia and flax seeds; but, if I'm craving something savory, it's an open-faced sandwich with avo smash, tomatoes and turkey.

L: You're hitting your mid-afternoon slump. How do you re-energize your afternoon?

OF: I don't drink a lot of caffeine, so my morning matcha is usually enough to get me through the day. If I really need a pick-me-up, I'll take two Vital Proteins Mind + Memory Boost™ ($32; shop now) capsules and go outside for some fresh air and a walk around the neighborhood. If you're reading this, this is your sign to take a screen break!

L: How have you been practicing #wellnessfromhome these days?

OF: For the body: A consistent exercise routine is key these days. I try to mix up the type of workout on my own but if I get bored, I sign myself up for a Pilates or yoga class.

For the mind: I started taking French at Alliance Française Chicago to keep my mind going instead of delving deep into Netflix every night after work.

For the soul: I try to experiment with healthy sweet treat recipes. For example, I made Monster Matcha Cookies for Halloween using my favorite Vital Proteins® product!