Efficient Work Methods of Eight Prosperous Entrepreneurs and Chief Executives Revealed

In the cutthroat realm of business leadership, the rituals and practices of top-tier bosses can seem like mystical formulas for their triumphs. What's their secret for juggling time, spurring invention, and making high-stakes decisions?

The lifestyle choices, daily routines, and philosophies of these business titans reveal essential insights into their work ethics and how they successfully tackle the challenges of their roles. From early birds to planners, the productivity habits of these eight noteworthy figures offer a blueprint for efficient leadership and personal management that many aspire to emulate.

Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company

Every day starts with discipline for Bob Iger. He wakes up at 4.15am and refrains from checking his phone until after his workout. "I've created a digital barrier by exercising and pondering before reading my devices," Iger told Vanity Fair in 2018. "It's distracting – I suddenly start thinking about others' thoughts instead of my own. I cherish solitude with my own thoughts, and it's vital."

"I believe that daily calm time is essential, away from external pressures," Iger later added during a Masterclass presentation. "In some cases, you're not handling emails, watching television, doing anything really other than preparing yourself to concentrate on what you might be anticipating or preparing to achieve. That's essential."

Daniel Ek, Co-Founder & CEO of Spotify

Efficiency lies at the heart of Daniel Ek's time management philosophy. "If I have a call or another meeting, I'll block it out if I'm in the zone," he shared with Fast Company. "That might mean disappointing someone who expected me, but when you're truly focused, those are the moments breakthroughs happen."

His rigid focusing extends to his personal life. "I don't make idle social calls," he admitted. "I prioritize ruthlessly. I tell my friends I like being invited, but I probably won't come."

Ek also has a habit of writing out his daily, weekly, and monthly objectives and tracking his progress each evening. From there, he assigns time accordingly to each goal. "Many assume that creativity is unbridled and boundless; actual creative individuals schedule their creativity,” he told Fast Company. “That's the irony. So, I try to do the same.”

Jack Dorsey, Co-Founder of Block, Inc.

Dorsey, who oversees both Twitter and Square, ensures he divides his week into themes. "All my days are centered around themes," he explained to Fast Company. "On Mondays, I attend a management meeting and Twitter's operating committee meeting. Tuesdays are for product, engineering, and design. Wednesdays are for marketing, growth, and communications. Thursdays are about partnerships and developers. Fridays revolve around company and culture. Time allocation happens in 24-hour slots. On days beginning with T, I work at Twitter during the morning and Square in the afternoon."

Jeff Bezos, Founder & Executive Chairman of Amazon

Jeff Bezos aspires to make three good decisions per day, a strategy also utilized by Warren Buffet.

"Senior execs earn their pay by making a few good decisions, not thousands of marginal ones," Bezos said. "It's not worth it if the quality of decisions might be compromised because of fatigue or grumpiness. I aim to make three good decisions a day – that's enough."

Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

When Warren Buffet arrives at Berkshire Hathaway headquarters, most of his day is devoted to reading. "I just sit in my office and read throughout the day," Buffet stated. "I estimate that 80 percent of my daily routine involves reading financial statements, journals, business reports, newspapers, and books."

Buffet is protective of his schedule and carefully avoids scheduling meetings or appointments in advance. "Keep a grip on your time," Buffet wrote in a letter to a friend, noting that "Bill Gates once said that Warren spends a lot of time and energy defending his schedule from intrusions."

Aaron Levie, Co-Founder & CEO of Box

Levie, the 38-year-old CEO who often works until 2am at Box headquarters, swears by power napping as his secret to "continuous productivity." Awake between 9.30-10am, he begins each day by checking and replying to messages. "I find that I've had a short, energizing rest after my sleep," he told Fast Company in 2013.

At around 6-7pm, after the day's meetings have closed, Levie takes a quick power nap in a conference room. "It only takes 20 to 25 minutes to recharge fully," he told Business Insider. Some may have left him untouched; others may have encountered him during his napping activities.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

Since taking over from Steve Ballmer in 2014, Satya Nadella has revitalized Microsoft by fostering a culture focused on empathy, collaboration, and a growth mindset. As the chief of one of the most valuable publicly traded companies, Nadella maintains two consistent morning rituals: exercise and self-reflection.

Waking up at 7am, he gets his usual eight hours of rest before his morning routine commences. The first thing he does is reflect on what he's grateful for—a habit he learned from a high-performance psychologist. "It gives you a sense of grounding," he explained during a LinkedIn Hello Monday podcast episode.

Mark Zuckerberg, Co-Founder & CEO of Meta

Zuckerberg has developed a reputation for wearing the same t-shirt every day, transforming into a meme. His approach stems from his desire to eliminate decision fatigue throughout the day.

"I want to simplify my life, so that I have to make as few decisions as possible, apart from serving the community well," Zuckerberg shared in an interview. "By wearing the same clothes, I'm not distracted by unnecessary questions."

Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, values the importance of personal growth and time management, as he practices early rising, physical exercise, and solitude to foster his own thoughts before attending to work-related tasks.

Daniel Ek, Co-Founder & CEO of Spotify, aims for efficiency in his life, adopting a rigorous focus during work hours, prioritization of tasks, and writing down goals with regular tracking to ensure optimal productivity and creativity.

Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, prioritizes reading and guarding his schedule as essential components of his personal and business development, regarding learning within financial and business literature as instrumental for making quality, impactful decisions.

Efficient Work Methods of Eight Prosperous Entrepreneurs and Chief Executives Revealed