CEO models his schedule on pro athletes to avoid 996 culture

Key facts

• Jagda wakes between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. for focused strategic work.
• He dedicates the first three hours of his day to personal goals and strategic decisions.
• Proximity Works has a team of approximately 45 people, with five in the US and the rest globally.
• The company aims for a culture of ownership rather than tracking hours worked.

Hardik Jagda, CEO of Proximity Works, has adopted a daily schedule inspired by professional athletes to optimize his productivity and avoid the "996 culture" of long working hours. He wakes between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to dedicate the initial hours to strategic decisions and personal goals, including fitness, before his team's requests begin around 7 a.m.

Jagda aims to minimize Zoom calls, preferring audio meetings to allow for movement, and typically concludes his meetings by 2:30 p.m. He then works out and focuses on creative tasks. Proximity Works, which has about 45 employees, emphasizes a culture of ownership over strict hour tracking, accommodating employees who are more productive at night as long as they maintain a five-to-six-hour overlap with colleagues.