A day in the life of presenter, actress and designer, Francesca Hung

“Self-care is something that I will always carve out time for no matter what I’m doing or where I am.”

There have been entire publications, social media accounts, books, TV shows, movies and podcasts created to explore how successful people structure their days. While 5am start times, fresh green juices and daily Pilates regularly feature, the stereotype of perfect routines is often in stark contrast to what’s really happening.

This rings doubly true when it comes to careers in the public eye. Content creators’ work ethics are often called into question simply because they take selfies and unbox PR packages. Models are eye-rolled for supposedly standing around and looking pretty all day. These (mostly sexist) assumptions are, frankly, boring and outdated.

For more wellness advice, head on over to our Health section.

We tapped the multi-talented Francesca Hung to debunk these myths and take us through a day in her life. As a TV presenter, owner of Frankie Lane The Label, model and actress (alongside being a mum to puppy Hazel and a diehard Survivor fan), Francesca keeps a very busy schedule. Let’s get stuck into her day.

Tell us about yourself. What’s your day job?

I think trying to narrow down my day job is a little tricky, as every day for me is different. I like to think that I wear many hats depending on the day or the job I need to do. I’m a creative at heart, but right now I’m loving learning how to be a business person too. But if I was to describe what I did to a stranger I would say that I am an actor, presenter, creator and brand owner. I wouldn’t know how to condense that, but I love that I get to take on so many different roles. Each one of those brings me so much joy.

How did you get into acting and presenting?

Acting and presenting were always a dream for me growing up, but it was something I really had to mature into. I needed to build my confidence up in order to put myself out there for those roles. Behind closed doors, I had been practising for presenting and acting roles my whole life.

Growing up I spent hours playing make-believe, writing stories and putting on shows for my family all in the comfort of my own home. I gained a lot of experience performing on stage after winning Miss Universe Australia [and] I felt ready to go after my presenting and acting dreams. Practice makes perfect.

With creative jobs like yours, no two days are the same. Could you take us through a recent, semi-typical day you’ve had?

6.30am: [I] wake up [and] my beautiful partner makes me a coffee and cuts up an orange. I’m spoilt I know.

7am: I then get straight into a workout. This morning was a boxing session in my backyard with my fiance, but other days it might be swimming laps or a Pilates class.

8am: Our pup Hazel will get to go for a little walk and then it’s time to feed her.

8.30am: I love my morning beauty prep, a little minute I can take for myself before the day begins. It’s good to have a holistic routine to target beauty from the inside out. Swisse Beauty is playing right in this space with its Glow Booster Duo (Collagen + Hyaluronic Acid Booster and Hyaluronic 2%, Vitamin B5 Glow Booster Serum).

8.30am: It’s time to check my emails and social media. I spend my time here replying to emails, processing orders for my business or planning out what I need to do for my personal and business social media accounts.

10.30am: Breakfast time, my go-to is a smoothie bowl or banana pancakes. I love a sweet breakfast! It’s a good opportunity to add those extra vitamins to your day as well. Swisse Beauty’s Multivitamin Beauty Complex Powder is a really delicious way to supplement your daily routine.

11am: Head off to a meeting, photoshoot or start content creating. This can usually start from six in the morning depending on the shoot and can go all day, or some days it may just be a couple of hours. It really depends on the job!

2pm: It’s usually a late lunch or substantial snack to keep me going until dinner time. My partner works from home half of the week, and we like to use lunchtime to kind of use up whatever is in the fridge or pantry. So a tuna salad or avocado and tomatoes on toast does the trick!

2.30pm: Back to the office to pack orders, work on creative concepts for the brand, meet with suppliers or edit my own content.

4pm: Tools down for a bit if I can get away from my desk if I’m not on a shoot, and I love to take the dog for a nice big walk or take her down to the park for a good run around and some fresh air.

5.30pm Don’t judge us, but we like to eat like we are either five years old or 90. We love an early dinner, and it’s usually something pretty simple. Every night’s menu is different, but tonight we’re having Mediterranean-style baked fish with a potato and zucchini bake.

6.30pm: After dinner my partner and I like to do a little more work, just to finish the day completing any tasks we need to before we veg out for the night.

7.30pm: One of my favourite parts of the night, couch and TV time. We are Survivor addicts, so we’re both in heaven right now as it’s back on! Otherwise, the show The Last Of Us is another current obsession of ours.

9.30pm: Into bed. This is my time to read or write in my diary, or even play some games on my phone! Anything to unwind, and get my mind off work for a little bit. My partner loves his chess, so these last few weeks I’ve spent my time doing chess lessons on my phone. My only goal is to be able to win a game against him…

10.30pm: Hopefully a good night’s rest [so I’m] ready for the next day.

How do you manage to stay organised and keep on top of everything in your busy life? 

Practically speaking… I don’t know where I would be without my calendar or my amazing agents. They really help me to stay on top of everything! But generally speaking, as long as I am looking after my health and getting a good amount of rest I always feel prepared for anything that might pop up.

I love a good routine, but staying on top of my health helps me to be ready for anything that comes out of the blue and it means that I can adapt easily. Finding time to write in my diary also helps me to work through how I’m feeling and gives me a chance to ‘check-in’ with myself.

Non-negotiables in your daily schedule?

Self-care. Self-care is something that I will always carve out time for no matter what I’m doing or where I am. Self-care can look different depending on the day, so it can be as simple as following my daily beauty and skincare routine, taking time to enjoy my morning or nighttime skincare routine, or taking the dog for a walk. It really can just be a couple of minutes a day, but it makes all the difference for me personally.

Find Swisse Beauty’s Multivitamin Beauty Complex here.