How to be a happy, successful power couple

TV couple Chris Bath and Jim Wilson's tips on enjoying a busy life

The two juggle high profile jobs, family, and charity commitments
They say their biggest secret is love and respect for each other

THEY'RE the media powerhouse who hate being called a power couple.

It seems Chris Bath and husband Jim Wilson have it all - high-profile careers, happy family lives and enough time to support the charities close to their hearts. While there's no such thing as an average day, they’ve discovered that The Beatles were right:  all you need is love - the rest can wait.

Seven News Sydney presenter and host of Sunday Night Chris Bath married Seven sports reporter Jim Wilson last year after a three year romance, and say raising two children and working full time has its challenges – but they wouldn't have it any other way.

"I fantasise about 'an average day', but am slightly torn about how lucky I am not to have one," Bath tells news.com.au. "The closest our manic household gets to average involves early morning exercise before school lunch-making duties."

"I had to get over not being a morning person to marry having kids and a career, so most mornings I haul myself out of bed before sun-up to stay fit.

"Once mummy duties are sorted, and mandatory coffee fix delivered, some days there is mid-morning exercise too.

"Depending on my marketing, promos, charity and Sunday Night commitments, I usually arrive at Martin Place around noon, head into makeup, then the newsroom and studio for updates and prep for the 6pm bulletin."

She admits that maintaining such prominent, public careers is tough, but working in the same industry means a mutual understanding of its fast-paced, often last-minute nature.
"We still manage to spend plenty of time together as a family, sometimes an extended modern family," Bath says. "Most weekends, we'll be watching one or both boys from the sidelines, along with my former partner Denis and his partner Julia - it's a super-sized cheer squad!"

The self-confessed technically challenged pair have recently synched their diaries – and say the results have provided regular bouts of comic relief.

"The physical act of juggling our diaries is hilarious, Bath says. "Luddites both, we recently acquired an iPhone and the supposed ability to 'share' diaries."

"Our technical ineptitude has caused untold carnage to our schedules. 

"If we have conflicting commitments, we holler for a friend / aunt / nanna / my former partner Denis, or toss a coin to see who wins."

Spare time for the sports-mad family is spent 'watching balls be shunted around a multitude of sporting arenas' – as well as bird watching, which means never leaving the house without a pair of binoculars.

"I am obsessed with birds of prey and to see a Wedgetail Eagle or a Hawk is completely left field, but a complete escape," says Wilson. "Bathie introduced me through her son Darcy and I am hooked – the sports boofhead who loves bird watching, dear oh dear!"

His never-average day usually involves exercise or Sunrise first thing followed by a 9.30am production meeting, setting up bulletins at 11.30am, 4.30pm and 6pm, and then home for a debrief with Chris around 8pm.

"Usually over a glass of vino – red, of course - that’s my favourite time of the day," Wilson says. "And then there are the charities we’re involved in - Police Legacy, Cancer Council, Nelune Foundation, Kookaburra Kids, Very Special Kids, but more than anything, helping raise funds for research into finding a cure for brain cancer, the biggest cancer killer for people under the age of 39 and children under ten."

"I love living life with Chris. She’s a can do person with a passion for living and for what we do professionally."

Their tips on how to be a happy, successful power couple:

• Switch off for down time. Pick up the footy and go for a kick with the kids – and shut off the mobiles and email to make the most of quality family time.

• Be ever the optimist. "Our lives are pretty shambolic but we are glorious optimists and find that not having any hard and fast rules, except showing our kids we love them as much as we can, giving life everything we've got and occasionally saying no, means you can have your career, family, happiness, cake - and eat it too," Bath says.

• Respect each other’s passions. "In the words of the Beatles - all you need is love, and we have a tonne of that. Love and a genuine respect for each other makes a world of difference."

• Ask for help. Family and friends are a great support and love to help when needed. Make the most of their willingness to help juggle the load.

•Have fun. "We are busy and it’s manic, but you’ve got to go hard and enjoy life," Wilson says. "Power couple is so far back of mind, we do the gig because we have a passion for news and live television. We never signed up for power or money, but we are so lucky to be able to get up every day knowing each day is different and stimulating."