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Today's Takeaway with Florine Mark


Feb 28, 2022

With Sandra Ali, News Anchor for WDIV Detroit and Mom of Four

 

Being a working mom is never easy. Sometimes there is the unavoidable sense of mom guilt, whether you’re needed at the office or home. I know from my own experience raising my seven children while working full-time how challenging it can be to achieve a healthy work-life balance. During the pandemic, ever-changing work situations and last-minute school closings only made the role of a working mom even more challenging. In addition to adjusting to staff shortages and longer hours at work, we’re also battling the stress of ongoing exposure to COVID-19 and other related health and safety issues. If the family relies on your income you really don’t have a choice; you show up and do your job. In these ever-changing times, we rely more than ever on the news to keep us informed on what to expect and how to control and do what we can.

 

My guest today is award-winning journalist and news anchor, Sandra Ali. She’s best known for anchoring the weekend edition of the WDIV Channel 4 News at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sandra is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, and other networks. She was born in New York City and spent part of her early childhood growing up in Egypt. Pursuing a double major at Syracuse in Musical Theater and Journalism, she ultimately decided on a career in broadcast journalism. After earning her master’s degree at Northwestern University, Sandra began to make her mark in the competitive and fast-paced world of TV news while raising her four children.

 

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

  • What was Sandra’s childhood like in Egypt and then New York?
  • What led Sandra to pursue Musical Theater and Journalism?
  • How did Sandra end up in Altoona, Pennsylvania?!
  • What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to Sandra on-air?
  • How can Sandra tell that a story is going to be something special?
  • How does Sandra detach herself from an emotional or tragic story?
  • How was it being in the public eye when pregnant?
  • What ages are Sandra’s children?
  • What is Sandra’s work schedule like now?
  • How does Sandra balance work and home life?
  • How does Sandra practice self-care?
  • What does Sandra do for nutrition for her kids?
  • Why Sandra wants to change the conversation around women’s appearance.

 

Quotes:

  • “There are some days where I will leave the house at 7:45 in the morning with all four kids and my last time I pull into the garage is 9 o’clock after practices.” — Sandra 
  • “It’s a very full-time job.” — Sandra
  • “There is a lot of stuff that’s not perfect in our house.” — Sandra 

 

Today’s Takeaway: There are so many things that we can learn from Sandra. She’s a wonderful role model for women; showing that even in the fast-paced and competitive world of broadcast it’s possible to find a healthy work-life balance. Sandra is candid about her own journey and she shares how she learned to practice good self-care. As working mothers, it’s so important to prioritize our own needs and to learn to set healthy boundaries for ourselves. But what does that look like? Maybe it involves learning to say “NO” to the demands of others or setting aside that valuable “me time.” Maybe it’s going for a run or to a yoga class. Whatever it is that makes you feel better and gets your endorphins flowing enough to recharge your battery, do it! Those precious few moments can make all the difference. Instead of feeling exhausted or mentally drained, just giving ourselves that little break can help us regain the physical or emotional energy that we all need to feel present at home or work. Remember, every single day is a gift and when we make ourselves a priority we get stronger and everyone else around us benefits. Be sure to take care of you, love as much as you can, give back to the community, and watch Sandra Ali! I’m Florine Mark and that’s “Today’s Takeaway.”

 

Brought to You By:

Gardner White Furniture

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Sandra Ali

Sandra Ali on Instagram