Walking, meditation, connecting with friends—Maria Shriver’s self-care habits are a veritable to-do list for better brain health

Courtesy of Maria Shriver

In our CEO wellness series, we ask executives about their day-to-day habits to gain insight into the tactics they use to minimize stress and maintain their well-being.


Maria Shriver is a mother of four, an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist, a seven-time New York Times best-selling author, an NBC News Special Anchor and the founder of The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement and Shriver Media. Shriver also founded brain health brand MOSH with her son Patrick Schwarzenegger.

Coffee or tea? And what do you put in it?
I like strong black coffee and put nothing else in it!

What is your go-to breakfast?
On a typical day, I’ll have a MOSH bar for breakfast. If I go out to breakfast, I’ll usually order oatmeal or eggs. 

Tell us about your workout routine.
I work out after I meditate in the morning and sit in silence for a while. I mix up my routine quite a bit between Pilates, strength training, balance work, the treadmill or Lifecycle exercise bike. Sometimes it’s just walking, which I love doing the most.

How many hours do you sleep on a typical night?
6-8 hours. 

How do you de-stress?
I love to go for a walk where I can talk and call someone, usually either one of my brothers or a girlfriend. 

According to your phone, what’s your daily average screen time from last week?
I have never looked this up and would prefer not to know.

What app do you use the most?
Instagram

When’s the last time you took a day off? What did you do?
I went and visited a friend about two weeks ago, which was big for me and I loved it.

What’s one thing your company is doing to prioritize employee wellness?
I give people the ability to work from home and I am a really flexible boss if I do say so myself. 

What’s your favorite treat?
Popcorn.

Show us a photo of your happy place.

“Being in nature opens my heart and mind. It makes me realize that there is wisdom, healing, love, joy and forgiveness everywhere we turn.”
Courtesy of Maria Shriver
Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.