Mark Zuckerberg on the Importance of Time Management
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently shared his thoughts on effective time management during a casual chat with Stripe co-founder John Collison. He emphasized the importance of not over-scheduling, stating that he often keeps his calendar open to concentrate on daily tasks. Zuckerberg mentioned that a busy schedule can put him in a “bad mood” and make him feel overwhelmed.
“I try to leave some time free,” he explained, adding that having a packed agenda can lead to frustration. He humorously noted, “I just like explode” when his day is filled with meetings that could be less important than urgent priorities.
To adapt to his ever-changing responsibilities, Zuckerberg has eliminated regular one-on-one meetings. He believes that his daily priorities can shift, and keeping a rigid schedule may hinder him from tackling high-impact tasks. “I get really frustrated and in a bad mood if I can’t focus on something important just because I’m stuck in meetings,” he said.
Views from Other Tech Leaders on Meetings
Zuckerberg isn’t alone in questioning the value of frequent meetings. Other well-known tech leaders share similar sentiments. Tesla’s Elon Musk encourages employees to leave meetings that waste time, while Amazon’s Jeff Bezos uses the “two-pizza rule” to keep meetings small and efficient. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang has completely avoided fixed one-on-ones, and Airbnb’s Brian Chesky prohibits meetings before 10 a.m., supporting a more balanced work environment.
Zuckerberg’s flexible scheduling approach aligns with Google’s “80 Percent Rule,” which advises leaders to only fill 80% of their day to allow for unplanned tasks.
