Top CEOs Adopt Unconventional Work Habits: From No Meetings to Power Naps

The way senior leaders run companies is shifting in quiet but noticeable ways. Some of the biggest names in business are stepping away from long-standing office habits and replacing them with routines that might look unusual from the outside. At companies like Nvidia, Airbnb, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Twilio, CEOs are shaping their workdays in ways that do not always match traditional corporate expectations. The idea seems to stay sharp in roles where decisions carry heavy weight. Not everyone agrees with these methods, but they are gaining attention across the business world. Some of these methods may not suit every workplace. They also do not remove pressure or workload. Still, they suggest a gradual change in how top executives manage time at the highest level. Here’s what some of the top CEO’s sets unconventional work-life rules. Top CEO’s secret work rules changing corporate culture Jensen Huang - Nvidia: No one-on-one meetings At Nvidia, work culture moves fast. Jensen Huang reportedly avoids one-on-one meetings with his direct reports. The approach is unusual for a company operating at the centre of the global AI race. Instead of private catch-ups, information is kept open across teams. Huang has mentioned in public discussions that he prefers transparency over filtered communication. Everything shared with leaders is shared widely inside the organisation. There is still interaction with executives, but the structure is different. Short exchanges replace long scheduled meetings. If something urgent comes up, he reportedly responds quickly. Not scheduled. More reactive.The aim is simple in theory: ‘Less time in meetings and more time building.’ Brian Chesky - Airbnb: The rejection of email habits At Airbnb, communication has taken a different turn. Brian Chesky has moved away from email as a daily tool. He tends to rely on calls and messaging instead, which he has described as more direct and less draining. He also avoids early morning meetings. Work begins later in the day for him, often after 10 am. It is not a rule he expects others to follow, just a personal structure that fits his working rhythm. A simple thought runs through it. When meetings start, matters as much as what happens inside them. Scott Kirby - United Airlines: Power naps inside corporate offices At United Airlines, the leadership approach is even more physical. Scott Kirby has spoken about taking short naps during the workday. Not long rests, but 20 minutes of power nap habit is linked to mental clarity. This habit was once noticed by staff, which even led to a couch being placed in his office. Since fatigue affects decisions, short sleep, reportedly, helps reset focus. It is not a common leadership image. A CEO resting during the day. Still, it appears to be part of how he manages long hours in a demanding industry. Bob Jordan - Southwest Airlines: Blocking entire afternoons for thinking time At Southwest Airlines, time management has taken another direction. Bob Jordan has introduced protected blocks in his calendar where no meetings are allowed. Certain afternoons across the week are kept free. The purpose is not to rest alone. It is time for thinking, planning, and reviewing priorities without interruption. He has described the modern executive schedule as crowded with activity that may not always equal progress. Meetings can fill a calendar quickly, but not always move strategy forward.‘The approach suggests a shift in leadership style.’ Khozema Shipchandler - Twilio: Short meetings and movement breaks At Twilio, time is also tightly controlled. Khozema Shipchandler prefers shorter meetings, often cutting standard slots down by several minutes. A 30-minute slot may become 25 minutes. A one-hour slot may end at 50. The unused time is not wasted but used for movement, stretching, or quick walks. The idea is to keep energy steady through the day. Sitting for long periods is avoided where possible. Even small breaks are treated as part of work performance. Elon Musk - Tesla: No large meetings According to a Forbes report, at Tesla, Elon Musk has repeatedly emphasised reducing unnecessary large meetings. He has described them as a common inefficiency in big organisations, often growing in size and losing focus over time. His view is that meetings should only happen when they clearly add value to everyone in the room. If they do not, they should be avoided or cut down. A one-hour meeting with eight people effectively consumes eight collective working hours. When the group gets larger, the time cost multiplies quickly, sometimes equal to multiple full workdays for a single meeting.‘Protecting productive time and keeping discussions purposeful rather than routine.’ End of Article