Eric Schmidtfor whom Net worth hovers around $45 billionHaving spent a decade as Google’s CEO, he knows what it takes to climb the corporate ladder in Silicon Valley. However, the secret to his success does not lie in spending long hours in the office.
Instead, Schmidt credits a deceptively simple habit, one he describes as a game-changer for anyone seeking meaningful productivity gains: Set aside a few quiet hours each weekend to reflect, and grab a pen and paper. No screens allowed.
This approach was revealed by Schmidt during a recent interview Gstaad Gay Podcast Hosted by Gustav Lundberg Thoresson, it traces its history to the mentorship of the late, great Bill Campbell, the legendary coach of technology’s most influential leaders.
“You work hard during the week, as hard as you can — you know, 12 hours, 14 hours a day, whatever — and on the weekends, when you’re at home or with your family or whatever, set aside a few hours to think.” Schmidt said on the podcast. “Turn off the phone. You’re not texting. You’re not looking at Instagram etc. And think and write down your assessment of what you did last week and then what you need to do next week to address the things you forgot to do last week.”
He insists that this simple practice can be transformative because it helps you practice focusing on accountability. “It’s a good trick because it forces you to take charge of next week. Like, ‘Oh, I forgot I had a sales problem there,’ or ‘I forgot I was supposed to call this person,’ or ‘Oh, I didn’t have this suggestion and I had this idea but I couldn’t get to it.’ And that usually works well,” he said.
This practice is not about squeezing in more tasks on the weekend. It’s about using your downtime to recalibrate. Schmidt said he eventually found his optimal work week to be around 63 hours — not the 80-plus hour marathon of his younger years — which shows that spending more time at the office doesn’t always lead to better results. “You’ve reached low marginal productivity,” he said on the podcast, adding that too much “enslavement” can actually erode results.
It also shows that thinking is not limited to CEOs or entrepreneurs only. Anyone, from engineers to junior employees, can benefit, especially in a world saturated with digital noise and the constant threat of distraction. In an age where “attention has become a form of currency,” he said, the need to carve out thoughtful time while disconnecting from our parade of electronic distractions has never been greater.
according to SchmidtAdopting this weekend habit can help you overcome small problems before they turn into big problems, and allow you to stay focused on the important things. As Schmidt notes, “writing things down means clarity”—and that clarity is what keeps the world’s most powerful leaders not only busy, but effective.
You can watch the entire video Gstaad man Episode featuring Eric Schmidt below:
For this story, luck Use generative AI to help with the rough draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publication.
The post Billionaire ex-Google CEO says one deceptively simple weekend habit will help you level up at work first appeared on Investorempires.com.
