While many CEOs and founders worldwide advocate for longer working hours to boost output, J Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, the company behind U.S. Polo Assn., takes a completely different approach. Prince leaves the office by 5:30 PM and makes it a strict rule never to text or email his team after hours or on weekends.
"One thing I try to respect, which never really happened to me throughout my career, is leaving people alone in the evenings unless there's a major emergency. You will rarely ever get an email or text from me after hours," Prince told Fortune. "I really try to respect people's weekends because that is your family time, your personal time, your friendship time. That's your time to reset and recharge spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally."
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For someone running a $2.7 billion, 24/7 global brand with over 1,200 stores across 190 countries, his commitment to personal time and mental peace has been widely applauded. His philosophy mirrors that of Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings: protecting personal time and trusting your team to do the same.
Prince wasn't always this balanced. Earlier in his career, he routinely pulled 90-hour workweeks and all-nighters. Looking back, he admits it took a heavy toll.
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"I probably lost some years early on from some of those 'good habits' that could also be considered bad habits," he recalls. "Looking back, I could have worked a little smarter. I could have eaten differently, been more thoughtful about my sleep, my workout routine, and my travel."
His advice is to "Work hard, but also take care of yourself. It's a marathon, not a sprint."
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