Most people like to unwind on weekends after their working week, but there are things that can be done on the weekend that can improve your performance at work.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who led the tech giant through its most explosive growth period from 2001 to 2011, has a counterintuitive approach to weekend time management that he credits with making him a more effective leader. Schmidt’s method, which he developed with guidance from legendary Silicon Valley executive coach Bill Campbell, involves a structured reflection practice that transforms potential downtime into strategic advantage. The approach is deceptively simple yet powerful: carve out dedicated thinking time to assess the previous week’s performance and plan corrections for the week ahead.
“Another rule that I established a long time ago for myself, which is in the Trillion Dollar Coach book, which is about my coach Bill Campbell, who really saved me from utter destitution and helped me become a proper CEO, is you work really hard during the week, as hard as you can—12 hours, 14 hour days, whatever,” Schmidt explains.
The key to Schmidt’s weekend practice lies in what happens after the intense work week ends. “And on the weekends when you’re at home or with your family or whatever, carve out a few hours to think which means: Turn off the phone. You’re not texting, you’re not looking at Instagram and so forth. And think and write down your assessment of what you did last week and then what you need to do next week to address the things you forgot to do last week.”
Schmidt acknowledges that this approach might seem obvious at first glance, but emphasizes its practical power. “I know that that sounds kind of obvious, but it’s a good trick because it forces you to take charge of your next week. Oh, I forgot that I have a sales problem over there, or I forgot I was supposed to call this person. Oh, I didn’t have this proposal and I had this idea, but I didn’t get to it.”
This weekend reflection practice represents a broader trend among successful executives who are finding ways to maintain strategic perspective amid increasing operational demands. Schmidt’s approach addresses a common leadership challenge: the tendency to get caught in reactive mode during busy work weeks, missing important follow-ups or strategic opportunities. By institutionalizing reflection time, leaders can shift from purely reactive management to proactive leadership. The practice also aligns with growing research on the importance of deliberate reflection for executive effectiveness, and echoes similar approaches used by other successful leaders who schedule regular “thinking time” to maintain strategic clarity. In an era of constant connectivity and information overload, Schmidt’s emphasis on disconnecting from devices to engage in focused reflection offers a practical framework for leaders seeking to regain control over their strategic agenda.