Despite his role as CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella is a family man with a daily routine resembling that of many in a nine-to-five office job.
He has been at the helm of the computer giant since taking over from CEO Steve Ballmer in 2014, and this is how a typical day in his life pans out.
Coming up next
Mornings
Satya Nadella wakes at 7 am, three hours after Apple CEO Tim Cook.
A typical day for Nadella begins with exercise and personal reflection. He needs plenty of energy and motivation to face his busy day. It helps him to spend time appreciating life’s blessings. He learned the importance of daily gratitude from Michael Gervais and considers it one of the most important times of the day.
After fifteen minutes of reflection, Nadella spends half an hour in the gym, mostly running. He says it’s a ritual he sticks to no matter where he is or how late he gets to bed.
At around 8 am, he has a healthy breakfast and a hot cup of coffee before getting ready for work.
Nadella dresses casually in sneakers, jeans, and a polo shirt most days. He spends most mornings in meetings.
Afternoons
For Nadella, the afternoons are not much different from the mornings, though he does try to schedule fewer meetings.
After a light lunch and a cup of tea, he may give a presentation, check his messages, or make a few phone calls before heading home at about 5 pm.
Satya's attitude is that he leaves Microsoft behind the moment he walks out the office door, leaving the rest of the day free to enjoy with his family.
Evenings
When he gets home, Nadella helps his three children with their homework and talking about their day. He believes strongly in a work-life balance, and much as he loves his job, he restricts working time to seven to nine hours a day.
He joins his wife, Anupama, and children for a family dinner. After dinner, Nadella spends time with the family and, if he has a chance, finds some time to read poetry before heading to bed around 11 pm, meaning he gets around seven hours of sleep a night.
