Today’s CEOs face myriad challenges: a global pandemic and a sea change in how and where employees want to report to work, just to name a few. For leaders, the pressure has never been greater. How do you mitigate it? In our new series, we asked executives about their everyday wellness habits to learn about the tactics they use to minimize stress and maintain their well-being.
James Edward Murray is co-founder and CEO of terrorize, an inclusive mental health benefit that connects employees with licensed therapists who have similar backgrounds and shared experiences. Therify’s mission is to put mental wellness within reach for marginalized and historically underrepresented communities around the world. Prior to Therify, James worked at Facebook and led the company’s partnerships with digital news organizations in the US He is a proud graduate of Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, DC.
Coffee or tea? And what do you put on it?
Coffee. Always coffee, with whole milk and brown sugar.
What is your favorite breakfast?
Two eggs and an English muffin. From time to time, she throws some smoked salmon in there.
Tell us about your exercise routine.
I try to move my body every day. If I can make it to the gym, I’ll do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights. If the gym isn’t an option, I usually turn to burpees. It’s an absolute hell, but an effective full-body workout.
How many hours do you sleep in a typical night?
In a perfect world, 7 to 8 hours. Actually, from 5 to 6.
How do you de-stress?
Meditation is my favorite practice to de-stress. I have completed over 9,000 minutes of meditation in the last few years.
Based on your phone, what was your daily average screen time for the past week?
5 hours and 18 minutes. Oh!
Which app do you use the most?
Instagram. The something knows me pretty well.
When was the last time you took a day off? What did you do?
In the past week. I attended a wedding in Temecula, CA with my girlfriend. It is a beautiful place.
What is your company doing to prioritize employee wellness?
We provide a monthly wellness reimbursement to employees. They can use it on any expense that helps maintain their mental or physical well-being.
What is your favorite gift?
i’m a fool for insomnia cookies. If you don’t know them, you should.
Show us a photo of your happy place.
Courtesy of James Edward Murray
