If you’ve ever met an inspirational woman and wondered “how does she do it” - from the mundane everyday tasks that come with being a mum to the intricate, more exciting aspects of work and life, you’re not alone. We interview a lot of amazing women on the site, and one thing that we never tire of hearing is how exactly they make it work - from how they get out the door each morning to what they eat and when they exercise. Which is where our new series comes in…
‘A Day In The Life Of’ will focus on the how, the what and the when of women we love who juggle kids with everything else life throws at them – from work to relationships and everything in between. Because if there’s anything that motherhood has taught us, it’s that everyone has their own way of making it all work, and sharing their tips and tricks can be the ultimate survival tool for others in the same boat. Today, we’ve hit up Sunuva co-founder Emily Cohen to share how she juggles a thriving kids swimwear business with her two kids and life in the UK. Ready? Words: Marisa Remond
My alarm is set for 6:30am and half the time I am already awake with to-do list cluttering up my head…
I tend to check my emails the minute I wake up. A lot of my factories are based in India who are five hours ahead, so I always check my emails to make sure there is nothing too urgent. I don’t check social media when I wake up. I wake my kids up which can take a good 15 minutes to actually wake them up and make sure they get out of bed and brush their teeth. I take it in turns with my husband to do breakfast or take the dog up the road. I need about 15 minutes to shower and get dressed (I would love longer, but don’t have the time) and on weekends, I could easily take an hour to have a bath and get myself together. I have just started using Environ products following my first facial in about two years. I’ll usually get dressed in jeans and trainers. My good friend Anna has the brand Chinti & Parker so I am usually in one of her cashmere sweaters.
I always make myself one of my special super smoothies with almonds, flax, macca powder, avocado, cacao nibs and almond milk…
I need to get me and the kids out the door by 7:40am on the dot. For a stress-free exit, I get everything out and ready the night before. School uniforms out, bags packed and ready, work bag set etc. I’ll do an early Pilates class or gym session 3-4 times a week and my husband will do the school run.
Emily Cohen with her business partner Sabrina Naggar
My work is pretty hectic…
I’ll be doing anything from design to production to management meetings so no two days are the same and I am always busy with design work, finishing off prints, designing dress shapes, looking through fabrics, sending out colour references to factories. We have management meetings weekly to make sure we are on track and that the team are happy.
My inbox is my pet hate…
When I go into a long meeting, I dread looking at my inbox as I know it will be full and need dealing with. I try not to get copied in on emails, which I don’t need to be. I tend to skim through quickly and thank goodness for the flag option on my iPhone, so I can highlight emails which I need to deal with so I won’t forget. My time management tips are: don’t overpromise and always build in a contingency as things always seem to take longer than you think they will take. Also, with work, if something is tough and can wait, I do think that a night’s sleep can make things look very different the next day. We have just had all our samples in for the new cruise 2018 collection, which we presented to the team this week. I returned last week from India where as well as working with my factories I was sourcing fabrics and ideas for the next 2019/20 collections.
For lunch, I’ll eat an avocado and halloumi salad, sushi, tuna, eggs…
I get hungry and food definitely gives me energy for work. I tend to eat lunch at my desk and do emails at the same time. I don’t really snack. I tend to eat three good meals a day, which keep me going. I also drink ginger or turmeric tea (herbal) throughout the day. I like to get home to be with the kids and help with homework so I tend to leave the office around 5:45pm. Sometimes I will pick up one of my kids from an after-school class like ballet or swimming on my way home.
I am honestly exhausted every day…
I go out about once a week, sometimes twice but not more than that. I try and eat quite early by 7 – 7:30pm (usually brown rice with chicken and vegetables, casseroles, pasta, etc). I often need to help the kids with homework or revision too. I carry on with emails throughout the evening as they seem to never stop. I love to relax with a big glass of wine and a hot bath and an episode of The Good Wife with the dog on my lap. I always watch TV to unwind and I aim for lights off by 11pm latest.