Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, aspiring entrepreneur, local restaurant manager, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, there’s no denying that success is somewhat rooted in maintaining productive daily habits and routines. The problem is that the majority of people don’t know which routines are constructive. And if they do, most people aren’t disciplined enough to consistently maintain these habits.
While everyone is different — and no two individuals thrive under the same conditions — it’s helpful to look at what other successful people are doing in an effort to foster success in your own life. Check out the habits of these eight CEOs and be inspired:
1. Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square
If there’s anyone qualified enough to discuss daily habits and routines, it’s Jack Dorsey. This is the guy who co-founded both Square and Twitter. He understands what it takes to be successful in both his personal life and business life. So, what’s his best habit?
Dorsey believes in giving every single day of the week a theme. For example, his week looks like this:
- Monday-Management and Running the Company
- Tuesday-Product
- Wednesday-Marketing and Communications/Growth
- Thursday-Developers and Partnerships
- Friday-Company Culture and Recruiting
- Saturday-Time Off
- Sunday-Reflection
2. Michael Bruch, CEO of Willow
“[I spend] an hour or two every day keeping up with tech news on Twitter,” says Michael Bruch, CEO of the new social platform Willow. “It’s not good to obsess over what other people are doing, but staying informed is certainly important.”
Bruch isn’t alone in this habit. Plenty of successful entrepreneurs and CEOs carve out time for marinating in industry trends and staying up to date on the latest news. If you completely shut yourself off from these things, you’ll end up limiting your ability to innovate and create.
3. Zach Supalla, CEO of Particle
According to Zach Supalla, the CEO of a new IoT startup, the key to being successful actually lies in shaking up your routine. In other words, you can’t have the same routine for 25 years and expect to still be relevant. Sure, you can keep the same basic principles, but you must be willing to adapt at some point.
“I’m always trying new things and changing how I work,” he says.
4. Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Nets
While you could point to virtually any CEO and marvel at their ability to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and start their day, there’s perhaps no better example than Brett Yormark, CEO of the Brooklyn Nets basketball franchise. Yormark gets up at 3:30 a.m. each morning. Do we even want to know when he goes to bed?
While 3:30 may be excessive, you should consider waking up a little earlier each morning. Even one hour can make a big difference. If you typically climb out of bed at 7:00 a.m., try getting up at 6:00 a.m. for a week and record the difference. It may surprise you how much more you’re able to get done in a workday.
5. Mark Cuban, Serial Entrepreneur and CEO
If there’s one thing Mark Cuban hates more than anything else, it’s unnecessary meetings. He believes frivolous meetings are a daily time-killer and does everything he can to avoid them. “Meetings are a waste of time unless you are closing a deal,” he says. “There are so many ways to communicate in real time or asynchronously that any meeting you actually sit for should have a duration and set outcome before you agree to go.”
6. Evan Williams, Former CEO of Twitter
While most people feel like pushing through and spending as much time as possible in the office is the best way to increase productivity and profitability, entrepreneur Evan Williams couldn’t disagree any more. Williams believes in breaking up the day by taking some time off right around noon. He prefers to hit the gym, as it boosts his energy level and reinvigorates him for another five-plus hours.
7. Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project
The problem with our lives is that we’re so caught up in everything that we forget to focus on anything. Everything comes at us so quickly that we quickly become anxious and overwhelmed. Well, Tony Schwartz, CEO of the Energy Project, has an answer. His morning routine consists of meditating. He believes it helps him maintain a “steady reservoir of energy.”
8. Gary Miliefsky, CEO of SnoopWall
According to Gary Miliefsky, CEO of SnoopWall, you must make a habit out of beginning each day with a positive attitude. If you don’t make it a priority, it won’t happen. “I wake up and start every day with one initial thought: being thankful for the abundance in my life- family, friends, company, and more,” he says. “Nothing good ever comes easy. Hard work and dedication always pays off. Starting every day with a strong, positive thought is the best way to kickoff each day.”
Do you have daily habits and routines? If so, what are they? Success is anything but guaranteed, but a few strong habits will point you in the right direction.
Featured photo credit: Kevin Krejci via flickr.com
