Ex-Meta exec says Mark Zuckerberg taught him work-life balance: ‘It is a marathon, not a sprint’

“There’s only so many hours in a day,” Ott said.

Instead of trying to tackle everything, Ott believes leaders should identify the task that could have the greatest impact on a particular day. He also suggested being more selective about meetings and asking whether attending each one is actually necessary.

“Ask yourself, what is the real one thing you could do today to really have impact, make a difference?” he said.

Ott acknowledged that an always-on approach can produce results for a while, but said it is not something people can maintain indefinitely. “That 24/7 only works so long,” he said. “It’s also protecting team members from getting burned out. You don’t ever want to get there.”

His own routine includes reading in the morning, exercising, staying connected with a support network, and occasionally meditating. He also tries to ensure that his work habits do not spill over into his employees’ personal time.

Ott said he may write emails or Slack messages early in the morning, but schedules them to reach employees later. “So I don’t pull people out of their free time, which they need to recharge,” he said.

For Ott, running a company is ultimately about maintaining the pace for the long haul rather than pushing relentlessly for short-term gains.

“You need to make sure you see it actually as a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “That doesn’t work 24/7.”