Top CEOs' Morning Routines Revealed: The Apps They Check First

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A new report reveals the morning routines of top CEOs and executives, showing that many start their days by checking their phones, just like the rest of us. The apps they reach for cover a range of priorities, from staying up-to-date on current events and optimizing health to managing urgent messages and prioritizing their workday. Executives from companies like Lyft, Gensler, Salesforce, Visa, Amazon, Zillow, and American Express all shared insights into their morning digital habits.

Why it matters

Understanding how business leaders structure their mornings provides a unique window into the priorities and productivity hacks of the corporate elite. This report offers a rare glimpse into the personal routines of top executives, highlighting the common digital tools and rituals they use to kickstart their day and set themselves up for success.

The details

Many executives start their day by checking wellness and sleep tracking apps like ŌURA, which CEOs David Risher of Lyft and Tom Hale of ŌURA use to monitor their sleep quality. Messaging apps like Slack, WhatsApp, and Messenger are also common morning check-ins, as leaders like Jordan Goldstein of Gensler and Danny Renach of Chess.com use them to triage urgent matters. News and social media apps like the New York Times, LinkedIn, and AI news sources are also part of many executives' digital routines, helping them stay informed on current events and industry developments.

• Executives typically check their phones first thing in the morning, even before getting out of bed.

What they’re saying