Dana Perino’s workday consists of three elements: consuming information, reporting information and analyzing information. But she nonetheless finds time to take a breather from the information. It’s nearly a compulsory a part of her job as a FOX Information Channel anchor. She is aware of when to lean in and when to lean out.
She might not have recognized precisely the place she’d find yourself after getting her graduate diploma in public affairs reporting, however she noticed herself as being seen. “I couldn’t do what I’m doing now if I hadn’t achieved all the opposite issues: labored on Capitol Hill, met a man on an airplane, married him, lived in England, moved to San Diego, moved to Washington, D.C., labored within the Justice Division, moved over to the White Home, got here to FOX and moved to New York [City],” she tells SUCCESS. “None of what I’m doing at present would’ve been attainable with out all of that.”
We sat down with Perino in New York Metropolis to search out out what her weekdays appear like now that she’s very seen as a co-host of the most-watched cable information present.
4:45 A.M. | PRAY FOR GRACE
Since Perino doesn’t have the luxurious of waking up with the solar, she opts for the Hatch Sleep app, which makes use of lights to get her up earlier than daybreak. “I like mornings. I feel that’s my pure disposition but additionally as a result of [of] my household: We’re ranchers,” she says. “The very first thing I do is have a quiet second of meditation and prayer…. I ask for grace and mercy…. I begin the day with that intentionality.” Then, earlier than she even activates a lightweight, Perino scrolls by means of information compilation emails for home information, Center East information, editorials and op-eds. “I want I had time to learn onerous copies. My favourite factor to do is have a tough copy of the Wall Avenue Journal on Saturdays,” she says.
5:30 A.M. | WORKOUT
Perpetually a multitasker, Perino has a Peloton in her Manhattan house so she will train whereas she digs deeper into the day’s headlines. “I can do a 20-minute experience and half-hour of weights. After which I’ll test my telephone,” she says. Three podcasts that Perino manages to pack in earlier than the solar even rises are The Each day Punch, The Headlines and The Each day. “I pay attention at 1.5 velocity,” she says.
6:30 A.M. | SHOWER
Her morning bathe is a part of the disciplined routine. “My husband makes my mushroom espresso. I’ve espresso whereas I scroll by means of the web sites: Fox Information, Each day Mail, Drudge Report and Nationwide Overview as I look out over the Hudson River.”
6:45 A.M. | THE RUNDOWN
Like clockwork, at 6:45 a.m., Perino will get on a name together with her America’s Newsroom co-anchor Invoice Hemmer and her government producer for a rundown of the two-hour reside present. After that wraps, she leaves for the studio. “I’ve a automobile service, so it’s solely a 10-minute drive. With my lengthy workday, I couldn’t do an extended commute. I wouldn’t be capable to do that work,” Perino shares, “and I like my job.”
7:45 A.M. | CONNECT
Proper when she will get into the workplace, Perino has her favourite a part of her day. “My assistant and I’ve a chat about all types of issues… when it’s simply the 2 of us within the workplace. That’s when I’ve breakfast: Qi’a with berries and a splash of almond milk.”
8 A.M. | HAIR, MAKEUP, COFFEE
Perino’s hair and make-up crew works collectively to get her digicam prepared in lower than 45 minutes. “I’m uncomfortable with this a lot make-up, however I do know that, on digicam, I look my perfect,” she admits. “Then, I seize one other espresso.” By 9 a.m., she’s able to get up the remainder of America with the information she’s had on her thoughts since 4:45 a.m.
11:15 A.M. | EXIT THE BUILDING
After the morning present wraps, Perino has a break till she’s on the air once more for her night present. She makes use of that point to stroll away from the studios. “I’ve a 2:30 p.m. personal pilates appointment at Columbus Circle. It’s a couple of 20-minute stroll or I can take the subway. On different days, I’ve ballroom dancing classes. I get train, and I get off my telephone,” she says, although she makes use of the time on the way in which there to hearken to extra podcasts, like Ruthless or The Ben Shapiro Present.
4 P.M. | FORMING OPINIONS
“The factor about The 5 is that it’s a unique present [because] you’re giving your opinion. I’ve realized methods to do information within the morning and opinion within the afternoon. It’s a balancing act,” she says. So, within the hour main as much as that, Perino’s asking herself (and others) methods to report, analyze and opine on the problems of the day. After a fast hair and make-up touch-up, she’s on the set of The 5 at 4:50 p.m. “Once I was the press secretary (for President George W. Bush), no person ever cared what I believed personally. I hid behind that, talking on behalf of the president,” she says. “However now I’m reside on the air. And I work at a spot the place I’m not going to get canceled or fired for something I say. Ever.”
6 P.M. | HOME
As quickly as she will, Perino heads for the consolation of residence. She’ll both stroll or take the automobile service. “I wash my make-up off. I do some form of stretching—there’s a brand new app known as STRETCHIT, and the stretches are solely six or eight minutes lengthy,” she says. By the point she’s achieved, her husband Peter has made or ordered their dinner. “There are such a lot of issues to do at evening, and I’ve FOMO, however I do know that point goes by in a short time. And I’ve a lot I need to do…. However I solely exit one weeknight per week.”
7 P.M. | TV HOUR
The enjoyable hour between dinner and bedtime has simply two unofficial guidelines: It is just one hour, and it might probably’t be the information. “I’ve to be very disciplined. So Peter and I watch collectively. We simply completed Landman,” she stated.
9 P.M. | LIGHTS OUT
When Perino lastly goes to sleep, she means it. No middle-of-the-night scrolling, no checking for breaking information and no early-hours brainstorming for the day forward. To remain true to that, she has a timer on her telephone that kicks her off Instagram. “I’ve a time restrict so I’m not tempted to purchase one thing or watch canine movies,” she says.
When the weekend lastly rolls round, that’s when Perino, Peter and their beloved-by-all canine, Percy, can really unwind. Often at their seaside residence in Bay Head, New Jersey. “I save all of my e book writing for the weekends. I’ll have nice mornings with Peter and Percy on Saturday and Sunday. After which often from midday to 4 p.m., I’m upstairs writing.”
Perino’s brand-new e book, I Want Somebody Had Informed Me…, is out now.
Photograph courtesy of Fox Information. This text initially appeared within the September/October 2025 subject of SUCCESS journal.
