Work Style Profile: Khe Hy
Welcome to the next profile in our Work Styles series! In each profile, we highlight one person's untraditional workday. You'll get an inside look at alternatives to the traditional 9-5, Monday-Friday schedule (and maybe pick up something new to try).
Today, we're featuring Khe Hy! Khe spent 15 years working on Wall Street before ditching the money and status in search of a better lifestyle. Khe, his wife, and their one-year-old baby traveled for a few months, then settled near the beach and turned his newsletter, Rad Reads, into a successful business.
In this profile, we get an inside look at his approach to living before working, how he prioritizes $10k Work, and how he views life in seasons. Let's dive in!
What does a day in your work life look like?
"Mother Nature is a fickle beast. Every morning, I wake up and watch the tides, wind, and swell on a group thread with some surf friends. My workday doesn't start until I've taken my kids to school, surfed, and had a nice late breakfast.
Once 11 am rolls around, I'll jump into my high-leverage work (i.e., $10K Work). This involves strategy, creative work, and improving our corporate culture. The middle of the day is for 1:1s and business development meetings. The day ends with clean-up on my low-value work, going through our various inboxes and housekeeping items related to our tech stack.
After eating dinner with the kids, I close my laptop around 6:30 and shut off all devices."
What approach did you take to optimize your work schedule for you?
"My work schedule is optimized around a few parameters:
The needs of my team. As a CEO/manager, I recognize that my job is to support their highest value (i.e., $10K Work).
My family and surf time. I decided to start a company so that I could spend a lot of time with my family during their younger years. (Then we moved to the beach and surfing entered the picture.)
Managing energy as opposed to time. I am a creature of habit and try my hardest (though I recognize that it's not always possible) to align my energy levels with my highest-leverage work.
Prioritizing $10K Work. This is our internal framework for getting more done by working less. It serves as a guide for ruthless prioritization, saying no and doubling down on work that truly moves the needle."
Why did you choose to go against the standard 9-5 schedule?
"I view my life in seasons, and I'm currently in an "I'm healthy and have young kids" season. So I want to take in the sweet nectar that is life in its current phase. I recognize that as seasons change (i.e., my kids become less dependent on me), I may be open to different schedules to align with my life."
What's one area you're still looking to improve?
"Setting boundaries. I only work about 35 hours a week, but I'm ALWAYS thinking about work. This shows up via a lack of presence or distraction around the folks I love most. Even though I don't have a phone in front of me, I'm still not FULLY with them."
What is your top tip for someone wanting to transition away from the standard work schedule?
"Use a future-casting (or visualization) exercise to paint a picture of your ideal workday. Take a page in your journal and just write. Don't overthink. Just write what comes to mind. Ask questions like:
Who am I with?
What am I working on?
What does my schedule look like?
Who am I with?
What's my internal chatter?
What are my colleagues like?
What am I wearing?
What makes me smile?
The purpose of this exercise is that often times we haven't defined what WE want - what makes us happy. (It's quite hard and not as obvious as you'd think.) This exercise can be deeply clarifying."
Big thank you to Khe Hy for giving us an inside look at his workday schedule!
Highly recommend following Khe on Twitter and subscribing to his newsletter, Rad Reads. Also, if you're interested in learning about his journey from Wall Street to becoming a creator, check out this beautiful mini documentary on his journey.
I'd love to hear from you! What did you find interesting about Khe's workday? What could you potentially try out yourself?
