100 CEOs and top execs told us their email hacks — here are the top 7
We asked leaders in our Power Hours series how they manage email, protect their focus, and keep their inboxes from taking over. Here's what they said.
Seven key email habits among top CEOs and executives were identified in 100 Power Hours interviews.
First, many decide what needs to get done before opening their inbox. Carter Reum writes down tactical tasks and big priorities while drinking coffee, avoiding reacting to outside demands. Claudia Romo identifies her most important 'big rocks' to accomplish that day. John Paul DeJoria doesn't even have an email address.
Second, they set specific times for email. Rebecca Minkoff schedules 30-minute blocks for email. Loren Castle uses 'calendar stacking' to back-to-back schedule calls and email. David Risher checks email and Slack for urgent matters, then another 45 minutes in the evening.
Third, they keep replies short. Roland Busch responds with simple 'OK' or 'No' to most emails. Kristin Patrick only writes longer replies if needed. Andrew Bialecki uses AI scripts to send a concise daily summary of his most important email information.
Fourth, they automate or delegate. Hady Kfoury had someone send him a weekly report of customer reviews instead of checking each one himself. Anders Kurtén relies on his team to triage emails and calls while he's traveling.
Fifth, they stop email-checking at night. Amelia Christie-Miller uses an app to stop checking email after 9:30 p.m. Jackie Aina stops after 6 or 7 p.m., marking those emails 'for Monday'. Jessica Hoppe works on emails while her kids sleep on weekends, marking them 'for Monday' to avoid immediate response.
Sixth, they recognize that email isn't always the best communication method. Kevin O'Leary doesn't use email, directing people to messaging instead for direct communication. Wolfgang Puck prefers direct calls for more nuanced communication. Synthesia uses Slack for internal communication, and WhatsApp for external communication.
Mark Cuban stands out by making email work for him, receiving around 700 emails daily and using three phones to manage them, replying promptly to most.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
