United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has outlined his strict approach to time management, emphasizing sleep, reading, and limiting meetings as core priorities.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has outlined his strict approach to time management, emphasizing sleep, reading, and limiting meetings as core priorities.
Kirby, speaking to Semafor's CEO Signal podcast, stated he caps daily meetings at four hours, though he averages less. He described his role as requiring deep thinking rather than prolonged work hours. "The further you go in your career, certainly by the time you're the CEO, your job is not to work hard. It's to think hard," Kirby said.
Sleep as a Priority
Kirby described sleep as the number one priority, aiming for eight and a half hours per night. He wakes at 5:30 a.m. without an alarm and spends about five minutes reviewing emails. Even during travel, he prioritizes sleep over other activities. "If his schedule is compressed, it's sleep that remains the key," Kirby noted.
Reading and Workouts
Kirby dedicates three hours daily to reading, including The Wall Street Journal cover to cover and about 15 minutes of The New York Times. He also reads five magazines and two books per week, favoring science fiction, with Isaac Asimov and The Three-Body Problem cited as favorites.
His schedule includes a rotating set of four workouts, though he adjusts based on travel demands. Afternoons often feature a 15-to-20-minute nap.
Meeting Discipline
Kirby avoids slide presentations, requesting materials in advance and preferring direct discussion. "If you want to send a deck, send it to me in advance, and then we're just going to talk about it, but you're not going to read slides to me," he said.
Kirby’s approach reflects a broader philosophy of efficiency and strategic allocation of time, positioning rest and cognitive engagement as essential to leadership.