This Is What Time 20 CEOs Go to Bed
CEOs, they’re just like us! Or at least, we can relate to the ones struggling to find a nighttime routine that actually works for their busy schedules. We’ve all read studies that show just how crucial sleep is to a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes it can be tough to find a work-life balance you can actually stick to while staying super productive. No one wants to be caught napping at work, so we wanted a gut check to make sure we weren’t the only ones riding the struggle bus after those late nights. So we reached out to 20 CEOs to see what time they’re actually able to shut it down to get some shut-eye.
1. Jamie Hodari, CEO and co-founder of Industrious: “I go to bed at 1am, but my phone goes to ‘do not disturb’ mode starting at midnight. Until recently, I went to bed at 2am, but I’ve moved my schedule back an hour. It turns out sleep is rather important.”
2. Gabrey Means, co-founder of Grow Marketing: “I’m an early bird, so I prefer to get in bed by 9pm every night, allowing me time to read before I turn out the lights. I love my routine of shutting down the day with a good book, even if my eyes can’t stay open for more than 10 pages. And computers and the smartphone stay downstairs, not in the bedroom. Truthfully, I would be in bed with toes up at 8pm if I could.”
3. Cassie Hughes, co-founder of Grow Marketing: “I try to get in bed as early as I can, but typically it’s around 10pm. I try not to look at my laptop after 8pm and keep it tucked away near the front door.”
4. Kebby Holden, founder of Couer Sports: “I’m a firm believer in the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ mantra. I’m typically down for the night by 9:30 or 10pm.”
5. Marcia Maizel-Clarke, CEO of Dogeared Jewelry: “I used to stay up very late, but this year I’m working on getting more sleep — so right around 10-11pm. I would give myself a solid B for making this happen.”
6. Haim Dabah, co-founder and CEO of Kidbox: “I typically get to bed around midnight and I like to shut off electronics, including my smartphone, at least an hour before I head to bed, around 11pm.”
7. Kerrie Hileman, owner and CEO of The White Magnolia Bridal Collection Boutiques: “I go to bed at 10pm, but I power down from my workday around 5:30, when I reunite with my son.”
8. Ursula Hessenflow, co-founder and CEO of myLAB Box: “I usually go to bed between 11:30pm and 12:30am, but try to turn off technology by 11pm and take advantage of flux on my iPhone to reduce all that blue glare on my phone.”
9. Bryan Phelps, CEO of Big Leap: “I’m typically in bed by about 10:30pm every night. By nature, I’m more of a night owl, but getting to bed by 10:30 gives me plenty of rest when I wake up at 6am.”
10. Taro Fukuyama, co-founder and CEO of AnyPerk: “I’ve decided that 11pm is a good time for me to go to bed during the week. It’s neither too late nor too early, so I can get some work done at night without sacrificing sleep.”
11. Julia Straus, CEO of TULA: “Being CEO is a 24/7 job, so there isn’t a typical time I power off. However, I’ve been trying to incorporate more mindfulness into my daily habits and sleep is a really important part of that. I typically try to go to bed by 11:30pm every night.”
12. Catherine Merritt, co-founder and CEO of MUMZY: “I’m usually in bed between 11:30pm and midnight. In addition to being co-founder and CEO of MUMZY, I am also a senior vice president at a marketing agency during my nine-to-five, so evening hours are when I get most of my work done for MUMZY.”
13. Julia Taylor Cheek, CEO and co-founder of EverlyWell: “I am a night owl, so I tend to go to bed between 11:30pm and 1am. Since starting a company, I have more flexibility in my hours in the morning, though I’m usually still working by 8am. I find my most productive hours are late at night or first thing in the morning.”
14. Julia Labaton, president and founder of Red PR: “I’m in bed between 12am and 1am. I always tell myself I’m going to go to bed between 10 and 11pm, but that rarely happens. And yes, the smartphone ALWAYS stays on.”
15. Rachel Malsin, co-founder of Project Juice: “I get to bed by 9:30pm, but I’m pregnant, so I get very tired. And I do check emails up until I fall asleep.”
16. Jeff Platt, president and CEO of Sky Zone Franchise Group: “I usually get in bed around 10:30pm and fall asleep quickly. But it allows me to get up around 5am to hit the gym before I get into the office.”
17. Sarah Lucas, CEO of Beyond Type 1: “I know it bucks the trend — science tells us we need to be going to bed earlier — but I work best at night when my household is settled. On average, I slide into bed between 11:30pm and midnight and (gasp!) do final checks on my iPhone until about 12:15am.”
18. Jerry Hum, co-founder and CEO of Touch of Modern: “I usually go to bed around 2am, because I’m often up late checking out our products and making sure the team is sourcing the best brands out there.”
19. Cara Parrish, CEO of Cara Parrish Consulting: “Being an entrepreneur and an international traveler makes a bed-time obsolete. You can’t commit yourself to a 10pm bedtime if you’re hopping time zones and experiencing jet lag. Instead, I focus on the hours I get in. When I’m tired, I sleep, and if I make it to the last quarter of the day and I don’t have eight hours in, I drop everything and sleep. Sleep is crucial for optimum performance and it has to be regarded as a priority.”
20. Allison Evelyn, CEO and founder of Allison Evelyn, Inc.: “I crawl into bed between 11:30pm and midnight. I always read for a few minutes first, to wind down my brain, so the exact time depends on how addictive the book is.”
Tweet us what time you hit the hay @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)