Jerry Schill

The old Jerry Schill used to think he needed to work seven days a week. Today, he knows that taking a break makes him more effective during peak hours.

“My weekends are 98% shut down from work,” says Schill, president and co-owner of Schill Grounds Management outside Cleveland. “We work very hard all week and the weekends help recharge the battery. The only time I will work a weekend is during a blizzard or a deal.

“We have a family lake house and a boat where my children and grandchildren love to hang out and make memories. It is not uncommon to have 10-15 people at the lake house on any given weekend.

“We have all become water bugs and love all the laughter that comes with it.” Here is Schill’s average day.

My typical morning is 5 a.m. wake up, make a pot of coffee — yes, I still brew. While I’m waiting, I look around outside to see what kind of art show is taking place in the morning sky.

As soon as my coffee is ready, I take my book and phone to my favorite spot and read for an hour. When finished, I head downstairs to either run on the treadmill or ride the Peleton for 30-45 minutes. One last cup of coffee as I cool down, start returning emails and off to the shower. Typically leave the house between 7 to 7:30 a.m.

I rarely eat breakfast. If I do it is apples, banana, or oatmeal. I have a specific mason jar just for my oats, so It’s made the exact same way every time I make it — no sugar.

My commute is 20-25 minutes unless I stop off to look at properties which I often do. I typically listen to Fox News or the football network.

I arrive at 8 a.m. and I walk down to grab water. If I’m going to eat, its typically the first thing I do. I always walk the entire office and say good morning to everyone here.

In the morning, I’ll review my schedule — which I do all day — and emails. After I do this, I make my To Do’s in addition to my existing schedule.

Lunch usually starts about 11:45. When COVID hit, we purchased an air fryer and started making and eating lunch as a group in the office. We take turns shopping and splitting costs. We eat healthy every day eating freshly made salads and some form of protein. We all help prep, chop and clean.

After lunch I do schedule review and make changes based on emails or issues.

When I leave depends what is going on. We are in growth mode, so all of these things are subject to change especially if we are working on special projects or acquisitions. My normal departure is about 6 p.m. but I will preface this by saying, from 5 p.m. until I leave most days, I am doing some informal 1-on-1 with people to say connected. My playlist going home is typically Reggae. I have loved the culture and music for years. It always puts me in a happy place after a long day.

The number of meetings depends on the time of year, but I would say 4-6. I have an assistant who helps read my emails, schedule appointments, travel, etc. If I receive an email from someone that is better qualified to answer the request or can do it faster, she will direct them to the right person. I struggle with saying no and, as we grow, I need to do a better job.

My children are grown and out of the house, so I find myself working in the evenings more while I watch sports or if the weather is poor. I use this time to return, read or delete emails, and fine tune my schedule.

I go to bed at midnight. I shut off phones and TVs at 11 — unless its football season — and read or just self-reflect.