- Peter Warwick, CEO of Scholastic, shares his daily routine for achieving work-life balance.
- Warwick emphasizes prioritization and communication to manage the demands of his work.
- He balances his professional life with personal interests, including art, gardening, and reading.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Peter Warwick, the CEO of Scholastic based in New York City about his daily routine. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I became president and CEO of Scholastic in August 2021 after serving as an independent director on its board since 2014. Prior to that, I held several leadership positions at Thomson Reuters, including chief people officer, and started my career with a 20-year stint at Pearson.
Work-life balance is essential — not just for me but for the entire company. There will always be more work than hours in the day, but prioritization and communication can make it possible.
Here's what a typical day in my life looks like:
Between 5:30 and 6 a.m., I wake up, drink coffee, check emails, and scan news sites to start my day.
As a child, I helped my father in the family village store before going off to school, so I've been an early riser since childhood.
I read The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times for world, political, and business news. I'm also a passionate follower of the English Premier League (I support Arsenal), so I follow that in The Guardian, The London Times, and the Daily Telegraph.
At 7 a.m., my wife Helen and I do some vigorous walking or jogging on The High Line or at Hudson River Park.
We started this ritual together over a decade ago and do it every morning unless my schedule prevents it, like when I need to go to the office for a breakfast meeting or to the airport.
I leave my home in the West Village at 8:30 a.m. to walk through Greenwich Village to the Scholastic office in SoHo.
For the most part, I walk to and from work every day. If the weather is bad or if I'm working late, I'll occasionally take a car.
I don't listen to music or a podcast on my 25-minute walk — instead, I like to take in the city and the day.
Every morning around 9 a.m., I buy an avocado toast and a skinny latte from Clifford's, Scholastic HQ's rooftop café and coffee bar.
I usually take my breakfast back to my desk to enjoy while going through emails.
I then begin a mix of in-person and virtual meetings with members of the managing executive committee to stay up-to-date on the various business units within the company.
Scholastic has a flexible hybrid work policy; employees are expected to come into the office at least one day a week.
Once a week, I usually have a breakfast meeting at a local SoHo restaurant, where I order poached eggs — and a Cumberland sausage if I'm feeling indulgent.
Lunch is almost always soup from Clifford's unless I have an external lunch appointment, which occurs once about every other week.
I'll eat almost any soup, although I prefer those that aren't too heavy and creamy.
The remainder of the workday usually involves meeting with members of my team and board of directors, as well as external contacts like investors, bankers, authors, and consultants.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are usually packed with meetings, but Mondays and Fridays tend to be a bit lighter.
Amid the afternoon rush of going from meeting to meeting, it's a treat to walk through halls filled with characters that have brought joy to generations of children, including bumping into animated "colleagues" like Captain Underpants.
Besides meetings, I keep up-to-date with the publishing industry and the world of education. I also serve on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, for which I need to make time during the day and early evening.
I enjoy afternoon tea almost every day.
Being British, I always have it with a spot of milk. I prefer Assam tea but occasionally enjoy a cup of mint tea, especially if I grow the mint myself in my garden.
Most of my work time is spent in New York, but I visit employees elsewhere from time to time, especially at our national distribution center in Jefferson City, Missouri.
I travel domestically and internationally several times a year, particularly from September through November. When visiting other offices, I listen to and meet people to learn about their experiences and points of view.
If I'm visiting a Scholastic site, there's generally a tour and meet-and-greets, plus meetings on the latest updates and needs of that facility. I bring overall priorities to the table to ensure we're all working well together toward our goals.
Outside Scholastic office visits, I attend important conferences related to publishing and education, such as the Frankfurt Book Fair in October.
I usually try to leave work by 6 p.m.
If the foundation is already in place for a successful, well-prioritized day, there will be less work to do in the evening.
At least twice a week, Helen and I attend events and openings at art museums in the evenings.
Upon arriving home at the end of the day, I cook a quick dinner for Helen and myself around 8:30 p.m. with vegetables from my own vegetable and herb garden.
I do all of the gardening myself — it's something of a family tradition — and also do most of the cooking at home.
As we wind down at the end of the day, Helen and I solve The New York Times "Connections" puzzle together before heading to bed.
I also try to finish a book — often a novel — every 7 to 10 days. I usually read before going to bed and get in bed by 10 p.m.
If you're a CEO and would like to share your daily routine, email Jane Zhang at [email protected].