Billionaire bosses like Jeff Bezos and Reid Hoffman denounce work-life balance—and some think working nonstop is key to success

Fortune

by Emma Burleigh

February 20, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Top executives like Jeff Bezos and Satya Nadella are redefining the concept of work-life balance, often dismissing it in favor of terms like "harmony" or "fluidity." Bezos, for instance, rejects the idea of a trade-off between work and personal life, instead emphasizing that happiness at home enhances productivity at work and vice versa. This perspective is shared by other leaders such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who also prioritizes harmony over balance, and Nespresso’s Anna Lundstrom, who advocates for "work-life fluidity" to avoid rigid separation. Some CEOs take a stricter approach, with Andrew Feldman of Cerebras asserting that achieving greatness in business requires full dedication, often beyond traditional 40-hour workweeks. Lucy Guo, cofounder of Scale AI, highlights this by sharing her own experience: she built her company without traditional work-life balance but still carves out time for loved ones. Meanwhile, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan emphasizes the importance of balancing intensity with well-being to sustain long-term success. This shift challenges conventional wisdom about work-life balance, suggesting that blending personal and professional life can be key to achieving extraordinary success. For professionals striving for high-level accomplishments, understanding these leaders' approaches could inspire new strategies for reconciling their own work and personal lives. This perspective is particularly relevant in a competitive business landscape where intensity and innovation are often prioritized over traditional boundaries.

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Originally published on Fortune on 2/20/2026