Striking the Right Balance: Rethinking Productivity in Executive Leadership

We already know that executives work long hours. According to Harvard Business Review, the average CEO works 9.7 hours per weekday, with another 79% saying they work on the weekends. 70% also reported working on holidays. 

A CEO.com survey mimicked this information. On average, two hundred fifty-six respondents averaged between 10 and 11 hours of work per day, working 58 hours per week. 

Certainly, it’s common for executives to spend much of their waking life working. But pandemic-era pushes towards a different work-life balance have made many companies rethink productivity in executive leadership.

These professionals want to make time for their health, hobbies, families, and relaxation – which, in turn, also makes them even more successful at work.

So, what shifts have executives made to ensure they have time for everything that matters? 

 

? Decide what “work-life balance” looks like to you.

Work-life balance doesn’t have just one definition.

Instead, you should figure out how much you want to work or not and not let what your peers are doing overly influence you. 

The blog for the Carson College of Business at Washington State University explains: 

“Some entrepreneurs, especially those in new businesses and tech, are content working upwards of 50 or 60 hours per week…Others need more leisure time with family and friends, preferring to spend only 40 to 45 hours in the office. Rather than conform to preconceived expectations of work-life balance, strong CEOs define the concept for themselves.”

 

? Create alignment in your life.

You may feel like you’re working too much if you’re not sure how to prioritize what matters most to you. 

Perhaps you aren’t only accepting projects that interest you, so you’re taking way, way longer than necessary, to finish tedious tasks. Or maybe you’re not developing expertise, so you have to start from scratch far too often. 

Russell P. Reeder, CEO of Infrascale, discusses how a better work-life balance starts with a stronger understanding of what you want to accomplish. 

Reeder starts with a long-term outlook, considering the legacy he wants to leave at the end of his life. 

With this idea in mind, he doesn’t think it’s worthwhile to separate your professional self from your personal one. Instead, he says, “Figure out who you want to be and be that person in all settings.” 

Once you understand both of these elements, you can start attracting personal and professional partners who will help you accomplish alignment and authenticity in your life.

“By having your house in order and being clear about what you want to achieve, you can attract the kind of people who want to help you achieve your purpose or connect with peers on an adjacent path,” he said.

Then, you can also start ensuring you’re doing the work that suits you best. 

“Identify your key roles. When people feel dissatisfied, it’s often because they excel in one or two roles at the expense of others,” advises Team Predictable Profits.

 

? Rethink how you plan.

After you’ve figured out what you want to do and why, you can start re-envisioning your month, week, and day planning. 

Start by mapping out the most important tasks you want to complete each week. Do they align with your goals and your motivators? 

Then, prioritize what you need to do each day. Make sure that you’re scheduling these tasks when you have the most energy and, in turn, the greatest chance for success. 

What’s more, make sure you’re scheduling in time to evaluate your scheduling system. What works and what doesn’t?

“Review and learn from your week, month, or quarter. Reflect on your patterns of success (and failure) and adjust your approach accordingly to help push you forward,” the team recommends. 

 

? Set the time to recharge and think.

You might find that by the time you’ve scheduled your professional responsibilities for the day, you have no time left. 

That’s why psychiatrist Neil Fiore suggests creating a schedule based on your leisure time. When are you going to sleep, exercise, eat, socialize, and work on your hobbies? 

Afterward, you can see how much time you have left for work – that’s what will motivate you to fill in only the time you have left.

Also, make sure you’re not filling all of your time with projects. You also need to schedule time for brainstorming and thinking. 

“One fun way a CEO can build structure into their workday to help them maximize their productivity is to set aside dedicated time for creative brainstorming. This could be done by scheduling 30 minutes daily for uninterrupted thinking and idea generation. This is critical because it allows the CEO to step away from their normal day-to-day tasks and focus on longer-term strategy and vision,” said Rachel Beider, CEO of PRESS Modern Massage.

 

Encouraging Rethinking Productivity in Executive Leadership

 

Executives certainly work long hours.

But increasingly, they’re recognizing that they need to rethink productivity in executive leadership. Not only do these professionals want to have time for their interests outside of work, but they also recognize that they’re ultimately less efficient if they don’t have sufficient time off. 

The ideal work-life balance is different for each person based on their goals. Unsure of what you want your work-life balance to look like? Discuss your values, priorities, and time commitments with one of Ivy Exec’s coaches.