Bill Gates has recently revealed an important lesson he learned from fellow billionaire Warren Buffett regarding scheduling. While Gates was known for his meticulous planning at Microsoft, he realized that overbooking was unnecessary for success after seeing Buffett’s deliberately light calendar.
Gates shared this scheduling tip in a recent post, acknowledging that he could have saved time had he looked at Buffett’s schedule earlier. He admitted to a previous mindset that viewed sleep as lazy and believed being constantly busy was essential. However, after recognizing the benefits of a light schedule, Gates adjusted his own calendar to include more time for leisure activities like playing tennis, reading, blogging, and spending time with his family.
Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has advocated for increasing productivity by eliminating busy work, a strategy supported by research. People who focus on creative work instead of filling their schedules with busy tasks tend to be happier, more productive, and more engaged at work. By adopting a minimalist approach to scheduling like Buffett did, Gates was able to prioritize his time and experience a more balanced approach to scheduling.
