The family policy advocate, leading democratic political strategist, two-time podcast host (Your Political Playlist and She Pivots), AND mother of three keeps her schedule high, tight and full of inspiration. When she’s not interviewing countless leaders and influential women on her podcast, Emily is Senior Advisor for Paid Leave U.S. and a constant advocate for how policy can support families and businesses.  Here, Emily breaks down her day, from the first cup of coffee to the final kiss on Love Island.

6:00 am: Alarm goes off, if I haven’t already been woken by a few small humans, and I head downstairs for my first (of many) cup of coffee. I hopefully enjoy it in peace while I check my email and calendar and plan ahead for the day. 

7:00 am: I head out to go on a quick run outside. I’m probably the world’s slowest runner, but getting outside to move my body are some of the few quiet solo moments I get. My husband and I both like to work out in the mornings, so we take turns on who goes out and who prepares breakfast and dresses the kids for school. 

8:00 am: After showering and putting in as much purple shampoo as my hair can handle I head down to get the kids ready. Then it’s a frenzy of food, doing hair, finding backpacks, and juggling a few meltdowns. 

I get all three kids in the car and head out for drop offs. My kids have gone to an incredible farm school where they spend all day outside learning and working with the animals. (see me and Spotty the pig :))

I promised myself a long time ago that I would preserve drop off and pick-up time with my kids. After leaving behind my fast-paced career in DC politics and pivoting to consulting and podcasting my schedule is ever changing. But dropping my kids off and picking them up everyday is something that will never change. 

9:30 am: After drop offs are complete it’s back to emails, meetings, and calls. This past spring I launched my second podcast in partnership with Marie Claire, She Pivots. It has been one of the most fulfilling and exciting journeys of my life. Beyond the gratification of building something from the groundup, the guests and the community around the show has shown me the power of pivoting and redefining what success looks like. 

10:00 am: As She Pivots is growing, I am creating more of a structure to the week, so researching Mondays, hosting Getting Down the Business IG Live show on Marie Claire on Tuesdays, prepping for the following week’s guest Wednesdays, recording podcast guests Thursdays and editing on Fridays. 

1:00 pm: As much as I am trying to pivot out of politics, it’s really hard not to be involved this year, so I always manage to find myself setting up voter registration drives, talking to friends in swing districts, or coaching candidates for a little bit of my day. This is my first year living in a swing Congressional district, so it’s making me look locally at my engagement. 

3:00 pm: My day of preparing for interviews and booking guests (someone let me know if they can book Meghan Markle – she’s my ‘Hail Mary’ podcast guest ;)) I pop on my repurposed vintage She Pivots jacket and head out for pickups. 

5:00 pm: Dinner happens in our house when most people are pouring their first glass of wine for the evening. We eat at 5:00pm as a family. My kids go through the peaks and pits for the day, and even my two-year-old always has a thing or two to share. 

7:00 pm: On a good day we start the bedtime routine around this time. It’s a lofty goal and more often than not it involves running around the house to get everyone’s energy out. But eventually we sit down to read. I started letting each kid pick two books, so with three kids, bedtime now goes on for hours. 

8:30 pm: Finally, all three kids are in bed and after a few more emails and a call with a girlfriend or two it’s time for Love Island (a not so secret pleasure of mine). Last year, I even penned an OpEd based on season 7 of Love Island UK, but to everyone’s detriment it never ran. With everyone in bed and just Ekin Su and Davide to keep me company, it’s off to bed to do it all again tomorrow.