Forget the traditional 9-to-5 workday. Motherhood operates on a different schedule, often feeling more like a relentless 5-to-9 with everything in between. In this series, we delve into the chaotic, sometimes beautiful, and frequently frustrating journey of being a mother while carving out a space for your own life. This is a “day in the life” glimpse into the world of the most powerful women we know. Here, Hallie Jackson, anchor of Sunday NBC Nightly News and Hallie Jackson NOW, guides us through a typical pre-election day. Jackson will be co-anchoring NBC News’s election night coverage, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and NBC News NOW.
A Day in the Life: A Pre-Election Day with Hallie Jackson
7:12 a.m.: A bit of a sleep-in today—no live shots for the TODAY show, and I arrived home at midnight after a trip to 30 Rock for election rehearsals. Before kids, I’d often stay an extra night in New York to catch up with friends or have dinner with colleagues. Nowadays, I squeeze everything into a quick day trip to be home as soon as possible. Monroe, my daughter, jumps into bed, shouting “Mama!” I’m completely smitten with our morning snuggle sessions. We head downstairs, and I pack her lunch while my partner, Frank, prepares breakfast. It’s our family meal on weekdays, usually eggs, fruit, and sometimes waffles or yogurt. I clean up the morning kitchen chaos while Frank bikes our son, Ro, to school.
8:32 a.m.: I log in for a quick virtual workout with my trainer, Ingrid, who relocated to Canada after living in D.C. for years. Ingrid is incredibly patient and understanding, and we focus on heavier lifting since I’m not a fan of “bouncy B.S.” I missed two months of sessions during the news cycle frenzy in July, so I’m working on regaining my strength. This is my last workout with her until the Decision Desk calls the election, but I’ll try to sneak in a long walk during calls or a quick pilates session over the weekend.
12:15 p.m.: A good election mantra to remember: always listen to Steve Kornacki. He’s giving an internal briefing today, one of countless prep sessions on my schedule. I’m working from home for part of the day, which is a welcome change. Last week, I covered three swing states in a single afternoon on Air Force Two, leading up to an interview with Vice President Harris. So, today I’m enjoying the stillness while I can. Our 1890s rowhouse has a tiny back bedroom that I’ve converted into a closet-slash-office-slash-yoga room, and I love the view out the window.
12:30 p.m.: A quick lunch for this working mom. Honestly, I’d rather have emotional support queso for every meal, but I’m trying to remember to take a multivitamin and stay hydrated during this busy period. Maybe even a vegetable now and then.
1:30 p.m.: Time for pre-k Halloween! My little skeleton piglet butterfly is participating in her first school Halloween parade, so I’ve had this half-hour blocked on my calendar for weeks. Frank and I cheer on the kids as they march around the block.
1:40 p.m.: I’m in the middle of the parade when I receive a call from the executive producer of NBC Nightly News, launching me into a Pennsylvania election story for the show tonight. With so much political news to cover, the network has a massive team across all of our linear, streaming, and digital platforms—NBC News, NBC News NOW, and NBCNews.com. I adjust my schedule to make time to huddle with producers and work on a script. I usually bike to work, and my route to the bureau this afternoon takes me right past the Capitol. Frank picks up Monroe from school and drops her off with our nanny, passing the childcare baton until dinnertime.
4:48 p.m.: I grab my laptop and head to the studio downstairs for our NBC News NOW show, Hallie Jackson NOW. Ever since I adopted a “work uniform” a couple of years ago, I’ve been surprised by how much mental labor it saves me. Blazer, tee, jeans, sneakers—done. We lead with campaign politics and wrap up with a World Series update tonight—very October.
7:11 p.m.: I’m sprinting out the door after the show and make it home in time for the last couple of bedtime stories. It’s a good day when I can wake up with Ro in the morning and tuck her in at night. We’ll spend a lot of time apart while I’m in New York for election coverage. I’m fortunate to have a supportive network of family and friends stepping in to ensure she doesn’t miss a beat at home—parents, in-laws, and my sister are all taking shifts.
8:39 p.m.: Frank and I catch up on our days and start brainstorming a post-election vacation plan, though we’re behind on booking anything. I’ll head to bed in an hour to try and catch up on sleep… while I can.
