Of keeping her family life in a different lane from her career, Hathaway says, “It’s something I feel is not just essential for my health – I’m on a team, it’s my family, and it’s not just about me.”

“My family has needs, and one of the needs of children is that they need to be able to define their own lives,” the New York-based mom continues. “It doesn’t even occur to me to link the two up, except through gratitude that they serve each other so beautifully. But they serve each other through me, and not through a space that’s outside of myself.”

Anne Hathaway on the cover of PORTER.

CASS BIRD/PORTER/NET-A-PORTER.COM

While speaking to PEOPLE exclusively in New York City at an event celebrating her Shiseido ambassadorship in September, the actress shared that having her two sons made her have a better appreciation for her body.

“People don’t talk about this and it really made me feel better when I found out about it,” Hathaway told PEOPLE. “It takes three years for your body to fully recover from a pregnancy.”

“I didn’t snap back. I want to very, very clear about that. With my second, it took every minute of those three years. And it’s cool. Let your body be a body.”

“There’s nowhere to get to. It’s just now. Just be present and take care of yourself and don’t set expectations,” Hathaway said.

Anne Hathaway for PORTER.

CASS BIRD/PORTER/NET-A-PORTER.COM

In October 2022, the star appeared on Sirius XM’s The Jess Cagle Show and explained why her two kids are a major factor when deciding on which projects are worth her time.

“I have to say, the ‘kids’ thing has been the biggest shift,” said Hathaway. “That’s kind of re-prioritized everything, so it’s actually made me a bit choosier because something really has to be so excellent to spend time away from them because they’re so precious to me.”

“They’re the most sacred part of my life by a long shot,” she added of her kids. “And then when I do accept something, it puts greater pressure on me to make it worth the time that I’ve spent away from them.”