An October 16 update to a profile of entrepreneur Sara Blakely has brought fresh attention to an unusual practice she has described in previous interviews: making room for uninterrupted thinking even when the workday does not require a long commute. Blakely, known for founding Spanx, has used what she calls a ‘fake commute’ to create a stretch of mental space in which ideas can develop away from immediate demands.
The account, published by wellness-planning platform Owaves, revisits previously documented elements of her routine rather than reporting a newly announced spiritual practice. That distinction is essential. The fresh news angle is a recent editorial examination of established habits; readers should not infer that Blakely disclosed a new daily ritual this month or that she follows a formal meditation tradition.
According to the profile, Blakely found that some of her strongest ideas emerged while she was driving. A short journey to the office provided little time for such reflection, so she began allowing herself a longer period of unstructured thinking. This became an informal, self-directed interval rather than a compulsory meeting, guided meditation or technique tied to a specific religion.
The habit makes intuitive sense in a culture where uninterrupted time is often the first resource lost to notifications, meetings and constant measurement. But ‘thinking space’ is not the same as a controlled scientific intervention. The profile describes an individual’s experience; it does not provide data showing that copying the routine will cause higher revenue, more creativity or better mental health.
Blakely is also frequently associated with keeping notebooks to record ideas before they disappear. The practical principle is straightforward: a thought captured on paper can be revisited, evaluated and tested later. Recording a possibility does not establish its commercial value; it gives the founder a way to avoid losing a promising thought amid other obligations.
Her public comments about failure are another recurring part of the narrative. Blakely has described growing up in a family in which attempts that did not succeed were discussed without shame. This differs from treating every failed idea as a victory. A tolerance for experimentation makes room for learning, but responsible entrepreneurs still have to consider the cost and consequences of each decision.
The Owaves profile also discusses physical activity, family time and ordinary habits of recovery. These elements are presented as part of an individual lifestyle, not a set of medically prescribed exercises. A busy founder’s schedule can change, and a secondary profile should not be treated as a minute-by-minute log of what happens every day.
There is a philosophical dimension to the ‘fake commute’ precisely because it reverses a familiar assumption about productivity. A visible, measurable task is not always the most valuable use of attention. Quiet consideration may prepare the ground for decisions that later become tangible, although any resulting idea still needs evaluation in the world.
Calling this a spiritual practice would go further than the evidence. Someone might personally experience unstructured reflection as contemplative, and many traditions value silence or solitude. Blakely’s documented account, however, describes a creative business habit rather than a prescribed religious ceremony or a claim about supernatural inspiration.
For readers who lead teams or projects, the more useful question may be whether their own schedules permit sustained thought without interruption. The answer need not involve driving: it could be a walk, a notebook or a device-free interval. The appropriate form depends on circumstances, personal safety and existing responsibilities.
The lesson remains modest and credible. Blakely’s long-standing habit illustrates how an entrepreneur can deliberately protect cognitive space while resisting the notion that every moment must produce an immediate output. Whether it proves beneficial for anyone else is something experience and evidence, not celebrity, must determine.
Related coverage: Joanna Strober on walking and realistic meditation habits explores another founder’s explicitly documented approach.
References
Owaves, Sara Blakely’s Daily Routine (updated October 16, 2026) — https://owaves.com/day-plan/sara-blakelys-daily-routine/