Do you need to fill every slot in your calendar to boost productivity? Here we’ve gathered insights from tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook and Bill Gates, who share time management strategies and tips that drive their success
As we usher in 2025, the familiar mantra of “new year, new me” strikes a chord with many of us. While the excitement of setting new goals can be invigorating, the daily grind can make it challenging to stay on track.
In the fast-paced tech industry, leaders of major companies manage vast operations with tens of thousands of employees worldwide. To handle such enormous responsibilities, they have crafted routines and strategies to boost their productivity.
How do these leaders effectively prioritise their tasks and manage their time? Below we explore what drives their productivity and offer practical tips to apply these insights to optimise our daily schedule.
Establish your daily rhythm
While waking up early may not be everyone’s cup of tea, some tech CEOs find starting their day before dawn beneficial. Despite being early risers, they don’t tend to skimp on sleep or burden themselves with a packed morning. They adhere to consistent routines or practises they believe enhances their efficiency.
In an interview with the US news website Axios, Tim Cook, who has served as Apple’s CEO since 2011, shared that he rises before 4 am and sleeps before 9 pm daily. He spends his mornings reading user feedback on the company’s products and exercising. “I can control the morning better than the evening and through the day,” he told the newspaper Australian Financial Review. “Things happen through the day that kind of blow you off course.”
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, said at a 2018 event that he prioritises eight hours of sleep. Although he wakes up early—without specifying the exact time—he enjoys a slow morning routine. He likes to putter around, such as making breakfast and getting coffee. His partner, Lauren Sánchez, also told People magazine that he avoids checking his phone in the morning. A routine that allows Bezos to recharge enables him to make higher-quality decisions later in the day.
Focus on your top priorities first
One of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s most valuable career lessons is the importance of prioritising time by focusing on what truly matters. Speaking at a commencement ceremony at the California Institute of Technology, Huang recounted an encounter with a gardener during a family trip to Kyoto, Japan.
Amid the heat, Huang observed the gardener meticulously tending a vast garden with just a bamboo tweezer and basket. Curious, Huang asked how such a large space could be maintained with such simple tools. The gardener replied, “I have cared for my garden for 25 years. I have plenty of time.”
Huang reflected on this experience, noting, “This gardener has dedicated himself to his craft and doing his life’s work. And when you do that, you have plenty of time.”
Every morning, Huang tackles his highest priorities first, then dedicates the rest of his day to helping his employees grow and develop. This approach is also evident in his management style; Nvidia employees are reported to outline their top priorities in emails, allowing their managers to improve their focus and productivity.
In an event organised by the Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association, Huang shared an interesting fact about himself: he doesn’t wear a watch. “The reason I don’t wear one is that [the present moment] is the most important time. Just dedicate yourself to now.”