Productivity tips from the boss

WE ASKED 10 bosses across the US, the UK and Europe for their top productivity hacks. Their answers were wide-ranging: Maximising the morning – from workouts to breakfast meetings – is a popular strategy; the power of a list is another; and then there’s the sheer brain-clearing appeal of a good walk while taking time to check in with their team. 

Walk

Since late March, Mary Beth Laughton has been president and chief executive officer of the 87-year-old outdoor specialists Rei Co-op, overseeing about 14,000 employees. The Portland, Oregon-based Laughton lives the brand: “I love walking – for the exercise, for the joy of being outdoors and for the way it opens up space in my day. There’s a ton of research showing the mental and physical health benefits of time outside, and I really notice my ability to lock in and focus afterward. I try to get out a couple times a day.” She further maximises her walks: “Often I’m on the phone, calling mentors, checking in with peers or catching up with my team. It can be hard to find the time to really go deep with someone in the office, but time tends to slow down outside.”

Discipline and habits

As Under Armour’s managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Kevin Ross is constantly on the move, from his Amsterdam base to the company’s global headquarters in Baltimore, US. He says he believes “productivity comes down to discipline and habits”. Accordingly, he goes to bed every night at 9 pm and hits the gym at 5 am, no matter where in the world he is. “I don’t know if it’s a hack, but consistency on how and when you wake up – your body will adapt to that very quickly,” he says. He’s also a big believer in lists. “Every day in the office, I write down almost the same list of things. Writing it down makes things really clear for me. I have three sections – what’s critical, what’s the task and what needs to be done – and I separate them by hours when I need to focus on them.”

Start early

“I win the day by taking full advantage of the morning,” proclaims Neil Clifford, CEO of Kurt Geiger, the UK-based accessories and footwear line; earlier this year it was acquired by Steven Madden for about £289 million (S$500 million). “I’m an early riser,” he says. “My alarm is set for 4.47 am, the number of the house I was born in.” He says his best ideas often come before the start of his workday at 9 am, “whether on the drive into London, over a 6.30 am coffee at Salvino with the breakfast gang or on the tennis court, where I push myself daily.” The regime clears his head, sharpens his focus and helps spark creativity. “It’s a routine I protect,” he adds. “That balance of discipline, passion and curiosity is what drives my productivity and lays the foundation for everything that follows.” 

Skip social media

Earlier this year, Rose Vangerven was appointed CEO of Findlay Park Partners LLC, a London-based investment partnership whose American Fund holds about US$10 billion in assets. Her new job prompted her to make changes. “A newer ‘productivity hack’ for me is avoiding social media. I deleted Instagram as I came into my CEO role,” she says. Here’s why: “I don’t love being a product, nor the time and attention these platforms drain. In my new role, I’m more acutely aware of my public profile; it seemed like a good time to part ways with social media.” From a productivity perspective, she says, “I have seen a real difference. I’m less distracted, and I love it.” 

Exercise whenever possible

Ella Mills has accrued an army of followers for her UK plant-based food brand Deliciously Ella, which has 2.5 million Instagram followers. Last year the company – which sells everything from snacks to monthly memberships offering access to pilates and barre classes – was acquired by Hero AG for an undisclosed sum. “Small habits add up,” Mills says about being productive. “Instead of skipping exercise, I fit in what’s possible – a 20-minute walk, 10 minutes of yoga or walking my kids to school. Letting go of the all-or-nothing mindset and focusing on small, consistent efforts has made all the difference.”

Breakfast meetings

Since he joined the savvy restaurant guide the Infatuation in 2019, Paul Needham has been on the dining scene. After JPMorgan Chase acquired the brand in 2021 (for an undisclosed amount), Needham was named CEO in 2023. He’s found a smart way to maximise his job and purview. “I’m a big fan of breakfast meetings,” he says. “They get me out the door early and tend to be quicker than lunch or dinner meetings, but you can still manage to get quality time in. By the time I walk into the office, I’ve already shifted into work mode.” Plus, he says, “it’s a great excuse to try a new spot or a fun hotel restaurant before the rush starts.” 

Fitness, sleep and nutrition

Jacob Aarup-Andersen, CEO of long-standing Danish beermaker Carlsberg, makes his travel time productive. “I never use in-flight Wi-Fi,” he says. “With Carlsberg brands sold in over 100 markets, I spend a lot of time in the air, and those hours are often the only uninterrupted time I get to focus. But the real foundation of my productivity is what I call FSN: fitness, sleep and nutrition.” It’s a simple framework, he notes, but also an effective one. “When I’m consistent with FSN, I show up with the energy and clarity needed to lead, make decisions and stay sharp across time zones. Productivity isn’t just about tools or tactics – it starts with how you take care of yourself.”

Start at night

Forget seizing the morning: For CEO Scott Wiseman, “my days start the night before,” he says. His company, Nocturne Luxury Villas, has more than 1,200 high-end locations from Mexico to the Caribbean and the US. “I jot down priorities to help frame the day ahead, so I’m not mentally rewriting my to-do list at 2 am,” he says. “Come morning, I sit down for a quick breakfast with a side of half a dozen brain teasers to get the wheels turning. I have a strict Post-it note rule where I give a priority pass to only five additional urgent items for the day. When the day is done, I walk it all off.”

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Colour-coded to-do lists

In 2006, Susan Sarich launched her bakery SusieCakes in Los Angeles; now she’s CEO of a company with more than 30 locations across California, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma. In 2024, SusieCakes revenue surpassed US$50 million. Sarich recommends colour coding for maximum efficiency. “I highlight each task on my master to-do list with green, yellow or pink highlighter,” she says. “Green is urgent, must get done today; yellow is timely, must get done this week; pink is not urgent, a bonus to get done by the end of the month. This gives me a priority order in which to tackle tasks, and my goal is to cross off all the greens by the end of each day. A yellow or pink cross-off is a bonus.”

Timed tasks

Travel expert Ellen Bettridge has been CEO of the luxury travel company Uniworld River Cruises since 2016. Over that time she’s expanded the company’s portfolio from riverboat trips – which might include adventures in the Peruvian Amazon or a tour of Christmas markets in Germany – to cruise and rail itineraries. Bettridge’s advice is straightforward: “When I really need to focus and get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time, I make a list, set a time limit on each item, set a timer and go. Nothing is better than crossing the items off.”