One of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s main obsessions throughout his career has been optimizing his time in meetings. He firmly believes that meetings can often be a waste of time. As such, he aims to make the most of the time he invests in receiving information to make informed decisions.
His two-pizza rule has gained popularity. He also tends to read memos containing all the information to be discussed in the meeting to avoid digressions and minimize time wastage. However, these aren’t the only guidelines Bezos has established for meetings. He’s also implemented the rule that no meetings should be scheduled before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
Rest Comes First
His reputation for being incredibly productive is largely due to his obsession with optimizing meeting times. However, Bezos took it upon himself to dispel this myth during an interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast.
In the interview, Bezos admitted that he tends to take it easy in the mornings and follows what he calls “the one-hour rule.” He pointed out, “First of all, I get up in the morning and I putter… I slowly move around. I’m not as productive as you might think I am.”
During the first hour after waking up, Bezos avoids using screens. He gradually increases his activity by having breakfast with his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, and reading the newspaper.
After breakfast, Bezos works out at the gym before starting his workday. He never schedules meetings before 10 a.m. to give his brain enough time to fully wake up, allowing him to focus his attention and energy on problem-solving.
Research from the University of California published in Nature confirms that Bezos’ morning routine contributes to improved cognitive performance and decision-making.
Too Tired to Make Decisions
Speaking at The Economic Club of Washington in 2018, Bezos emphasized the importance of getting adequate rest when making important decisions. As such, he also avoids holding meetings beyond 5 p.m. whenever possible.
“Anything that’s going to be really mentally challenging [should be] a 10 o’clock meeting. By 5 p.m., I’m like, ‘I can’t think about that today. Let’s try again tomorrow at 10 a.m.,’” Bezos said.
Being aware of mental exhaustion and its impact on productivity can be the key to making sound decisions. Fatigue and accumulated stress throughout the day can lead to cognitive impairment.
A Microsoft study highlights that the human brain requires frequent breaks to perform optimally. Scheduling meetings at the end of the day can hinder concentration, increasing the risk of mistakes, especially when making strategic decisions like those made by Bezos at Amazon and Blue Origin.
Image | Daniel Oberhaus
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