'Don't Keep Strict Schedule': Billionaire Jeff Bezos Reveals Why He Prefers 'Mind Wandering' For Better Productivity
Constant busyness is often glorified as the key to productivity and success, but it isn't necessarily good for you. Yale psychologist Laurie Santos explains that feeling too busy or lacking time for what you enjoy can actually reduce happiness and lead to "time famine." Interestingly, Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos also recently shared that he's not a fan of time blocking.
Constant busyness is often glorified as the key to productivity and success, but it isn't necessarily good for you. Yale psychologist Laurie Santos explains that feeling too busy or lacking time for what you enjoy can actually reduce happiness and lead to "time famine." Interestingly, Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos also recently shared that he's not a fan of time blocking.
World's second richest man prefers 'mind wandering'
Jeff Bezos is not a fan of time blocking, which involves setting strict time slots for all meetings and tasks.
The 60-year-old Amazon founder told CNBC Make It, "I don¡¯t keep to a strict schedule." Instead, he allows his mind to wander.
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Speaking on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Bezos, the world¡¯s second richest person according to Forbes, explained that he uses this mental meandering to weigh the pros and cons of his ideas.
This is his "first level of scrutiny." Once an idea passes this stage, he presents it for group brainstorming, allowing the idea to be explored further and leading to both "fun" and productive outcomes.
Time famine is as harmful to mental health as unemployment
According to psychologist Laurie Santos, time famine can lead to poorer work performance and burnout by making you less happy.
She noted that it can be just as harmful to mental health as being unemployed.
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"I think we feel strapped for time because we think working... as much as we work all the time is essential for achieving the things we want to achieve in life," Santos says, as reported by CNBC Make It.
This issue is particularly relevant for India, which was ranked 126 out of 143 countries in the World Happiness Report 2024, indicating that Indians aren't as happy and maybe, time famine could be a possible contributor.
To overcome this, Santos suggests practicing 'time confetti,' or making use of 'unexpected free minutes' between work for enjoyable activities like taking a walk, meditating, or sharing pet photos. She also recommends spending money to save time, acknowledging that working hard takes a toll and that investing in rest and recovery can be worthwhile.
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