Modeling CEO Productivity After Elite Athlete Training Regimens
Hardik Jagda rejects 996 culture in favor of structured recovery and early morning deep work.
1The Olympian Productivity Philosophy
Hardik Jagda, CEO of Proximity Works, structures his daily routine by emulating professional athletes. By waking up between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., he secures four to five hours of uninterrupted time before his workday begins. This approach prioritizes strategic focus over the high-volume, burnout-prone 996 work culture prevalent in Silicon Valley.
2Protecting Deep Work Blocks
Jagda strictly protects his first three hours of the day, refusing to check emails or messages until 6 a.m. This dedicated time allowed him to redesign his company’s recruitment workflow to a 72-hour turnaround. Without this morning block, he argues that such complex, high-stakes strategic decisions would be impossible to execute effectively.
3Integrating Recovery and Movement
Unlike the 996 model, Jagda integrates recovery slots into his calendar to maintain performance. He schedules 15-minute preparation windows before important meetings to clarify objectives. Furthermore, he prefers audio-only calls to allow for physical movement during discussions, and he consistently blocks time at 3 p.m. for physical exercise and mental resets.
4Global Team Management Strategy
Proximity Works operates with approximately 45 employees distributed globally, including a cofounder based in India. Jagda avoids enforcing his personal early-bird schedule on his team. Instead, he mandates a five-to-six-hour overlap for engineers to ensure collaboration, while allowing night-owl employees the flexibility to work during their most productive hours of the day.
5Ownership Over Hourly Tracking
The company culture emphasizes individual ownership of problems rather than tracking total hours worked. Jagda believes that focusing on volume, as seen in 996 environments, misses the point of sustainable growth. He encourages his team to care deeply about their specific tasks, trusting them to manage their own time effectively and responsibly.
6Evolution of Founder Routine
Jagda’s current routine evolved from his early days in 2017 when he balanced a full-time job with side projects. This foundational period taught him how his body clock functions. He now aims for seven hours of sleep, ending his day around 9 p.m. to ensure he remains recovered for the next morning.
7Skill Development and Saturdays
While Jagda works six days a week, he utilizes Saturdays specifically for deliberate practice rather than standard operational tasks. He focuses on developing key professional skills, such as public speaking, to improve his leadership capabilities. This structured approach to personal development mirrors the training cycles used by athletes to improve specific performance metrics.
8Redefining Success Beyond Volume
The shift away from 996 culture represents a move toward structured output and cognitive longevity. By prioritizing training, recovery, and skill acquisition, Jagda demonstrates that high-growth companies can scale without sacrificing employee well-being. His model suggests that the future of work lies in optimizing personal energy rather than simply increasing total hours.
Original article: Business Insider — Modeling CEO Productivity After Elite Athlete Training Regimens