A Talk About Routine with Francesco: From NASA’s Stars to Daily Wellness

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Francesco Marsili, Ph.D, a former NASA physicist, ex MIT, currently managing at RealtyLab Meta.

Residing in the vibrant Bay Area, Francesco balances his professional life with his roles as a dedicated father of two toddlers and a loving husband.

In this interview, he’ll be sharing how he manages his daily challenges, offering insights into his routine and strategies for balancing a demanding career with family life.

Francesco, you’ve had an impressive career, including your time as a scientist at NASA. How were you able to pull off such a demanding and prestigious job?
Landing the NASA job was 50/50 hard work and luck. I worked very hard during my PhD at EPFL and postodocs at MIT and NIST to develop a light sending technology that NASA years later happened to need for one of their space programs, so I was a strong candidate when the job opened.

What motivated you to pursue this path, and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced?
I like to work on hard problems that are also significant at a global scale. At NASA I was working on establishing a high data rate communication link between Mars and the Earth that will support future manned missions to the red planet. So, I want to think that I did my part to help humankind become an interplanetary species when the time comes, hopefully in my lifetime.

Can you share your daily routine with us? How do you structure your day from morning to night? 
I wake up at 4:45, wash myself, weight myself, meditate for about 20 minutes, then wake up and “process” both our kids (feed, change, and dress for the day), then I take my supplements (EMPWR+, one shot of apple cider vinegar, vitamin D, and creatine if I have slept less than 7 hours the previous night), then light breakfast (5 almonds, one teaspoon of honey), then 45 min workout, then shower, get ready, drop off my kids at childcare, and drive to work. I leave the house at 8:10 and come back at 7:30 pm. Lights out at 9 pm.

What inspired you to develop such a structured routine? Was there a specific moment or experience that motivated you? 
You, Vladi are one my biggest sources of inspiration. Your willpower is legendary! However, I learnt about myself that I cannot rely on willpower alone to do the things that are good for my health, so I created habits for myself. I take away the decisions with routines I follow automatically. Much much easier.

Start small and add to it little by little, as the new behaviors become ingrained in the routine and become natural and effortless.

What strategies do you use to clear your mind when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed? 
I take a break, go for a walk, eat a healthy snack, have a drink. In general, I try to interrupt the pattern and do something physical that makes me feel good.

Time is often considered a luxury and one of the most democratic elements we all share. How do you manage to divide your time between your demanding job at RealtyLab Meta, your responsibilities as a father to two toddlers, your role as a husband, and finding time for yourself?
I thought I did not have time before having kids. Boy was I wrong! I manage time by designing routines and ruthlessly auditing the way I spend time and constantly reprioritizing. Anyway, time management is the easier part. The trickier part is energy management, which for me means balancing activities that energize me with those that deplete me.

Have you tried EMPWR+? If so, what has been your experience with it?

I was lucky enough to know you Vladi, so I was one of the beta testers for EMPWR+. I definitely feel a steady flow of calm energy for a few hours once I take it, which helps me focus in the morning, which is when I do most of my most complex work.

In recent years I went from taking a ton of supplements to taking very few. This is because the supplement industry is largely unregulated and honestly I don’t feel safe taking products that have not been tightly controlled. This is why I use EMPWR+, which has been through tight scrutiny and has the highest quality ingredients.