CEO morning routine: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella describes himself as a morning person. The Indian-origin tech billionaire, on a LinkedIn podcast, revealed that he practices much more than hustle, with gratitude rituals and workouts. Nadella, one of the most powerful tech giants in the world, however, doesn’t practice intense longevity bio-hacks or strenuous fitness regimes, but follows a daily ritual he cannot miss.
Credited with scaling Microsoft to new heights, Nadella has a net worth of $1.3 billion, according to Forbes. Starting his day with his two essentials, movement and reflection, he also cherishes a ‘silent hour’ which acts as a crucial practice for both Nadella and his employees.
What is ‘silent hour’ practice?
A silent hour typically refers to a period of time dedicated to deep work and focus. It is prioritised for continuous learning, adopting a growth mindset, and reflecting on long-term goals. This intentional practice of chalking out time to focus on high-strategy work and putting energy toward creative tasks, silently, is one of the key superpowers of Nadella’s work mindset.
The slow and patient routine allows for intentional leadership and helps leaders avoid hasty decisions. Moreover, Nadella, unlike CEOs who prioritise work over sleep, gets a full 8 hours of sleep and begins his day at 7 AM. Here’s a peek at how he starts his day.
Satya Nadella’s morning routine
Billionaire Satya Nadella does not wake up at the crack of dawn. While the first thing in the morning may not be an ice dunk of the face or a round of meetings, he prefers to practice gratitude. “It gives you the ability to get up in the morning and orient yourself for the day,” he had said in his LinkedIn podcast. earlier.
Sharing the echoes of many, this gratitude routine is also followed by Oprah Winfrey and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. However, gratitude is only the first step in the Microsoft CEO’s routine.
To elevate his heart rate, keep him moving, and keep his mind afresh, workouts for the 58-year-old are a must. “It’s just 30 minutes of running, and it just makes a huge difference,” he had said. The half an hour of hitting the gym is crucial, he shared and that the time zone or work schedule does not impact this habit.
According to a American Psychological Association (APA) research, “active individuals remain calmer and report less anxiety,” even with day-to-day stress. Additionally, the study also found “negative affect is significantly elevated on days with stressful events compared to days free of events in all individuals,” and the difference in affect varies significantly between people who work out and those who don’t.
Nadella, overall, practices an overarching sense of ‘work-life harmony’ rather than balance. Speaking to NowThis, he shared that the passion to work or build something is what makes people actually want to come to work.