Indian-origin HubSpot CEO reveals why she works on Sundays: 'It’s my time, my schedule'

Yamini Rangan, the Indian-origin Chief Executive Officer of HubSpot, a US-based software company valued at $34 billion, recently opened up about her unconventional work habits, explaining why she chooses to work on Sundays. In a conversation on the podcast "The Grit", Rangan offered insight into how she balances her demanding role with personal time, emphasising autonomy and intention behind her weekly routine.

Born and raised in South India, Rangan studied computer engineering at Bharathiar University before moving to the United States at the age of 21 to pursue an MBA at the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Now one of the highest-paid Indian-origin CEOs in the US, with an annual salary of $26 million, she has held leadership positions at Dropbox, Workday, and SAP before joining HubSpot shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic. She assumed the role of CEO in September 2021.

Speaking about her weekly schedule, Rangan said she deliberately carves out time for herself between Friday night and Saturday, setting clear boundaries around work. “Saturdays are precious to me,” she stated. “When I didn’t take breaks, I got burned out pretty quickly.” During this time, she disconnects from office responsibilities and spends quality time with her husband, a managing director at Goldman Sachs. Their weekends together typically include walks, yoga, meditation, and reading.

Despite preserving her Saturdays, Rangan said she intentionally uses Sundays to get a head start on the week—not out of pressure, but out of personal choice. “I’m not scared of Sundays. I enjoy it because it’s my time,” she explained. “I get to decide what I’m learning, what I’m doing, what I’m thinking, what I’m writing. It is completely my schedule,” she added, according to Fortune.