For Steven Macdonald, founding father of OKRs Device, alignment isn’t simply one thing his product helps groups obtain – it’s how he runs his personal day. His light-weight goal-setting platform is designed to assist startups observe Goals and Key Outcomes (OKRs) with out the complexity of enterprise techniques.

On this dialog for Entrepreneurship Life, Steven shares a have a look at what a typical day appears like working a rising SaaS enterprise from Estonia.

7:00 AM – Mindfulness and a Quiet Begin

“My day begins early – round seven,” Steven says. “I spend the primary half hour in mindfulness or quiet reflection. It helps me begin grounded earlier than I get pulled into screens and Slack messages.”

That calm starting units the tone for a structured day. By 8 AM, he’s dressed, making espresso, and scanning in a single day emails and messages from customers world wide.

9:00 AM – Motion First

Health is non-negotiable. “5 days every week, I’m going to the gymnasium. The opposite two days, I run outdoors. It clears my head and really helps me make higher product choices later.”

Train isn’t simply private for Steven – it’s a part of the identical self-discipline OKRs encourage: focus, consistency, and progress tracked over time.

10:00–11:00 AM – Supporting Prospects

As soon as again from the gymnasium, Steven dedicates an hour to customer support – personally responding to assist emails and chat messages that got here in in a single day.

“It’s one thing I by no means wish to delegate fully,” he explains. “Listening to immediately from prospects helps me see what’s working, what’s complicated, and what we must always prioritize subsequent within the roadmap.”

11:00 AM–1:00 PM – Advertising and marketing and Content material Creation

Late mornings are all about storytelling. Steven writes weblog articles, updates the OKRs Device web site, and drafts content material for LinkedIn.

“Our customers are small groups, founders, and managers attempting to attach targets to outcomes,” he says. “If we are able to share what we’ve realized – tips on how to set higher OKRs, tips on how to align cross-functionally – it builds belief.”

He treats advertising as an extension of customer support: answering questions earlier than they’re requested.

1:00–3:00 PM – Deep Work and Strategic Tasks

Proper now, the main focus is on the upcoming 2026 OKR Benchmark Report, a complete have a look at how groups throughout industries use OKRs.

“We spoke with greater than 200 startups about their OKR habits – how they set targets, observe progress, and measure influence,” Steven explains. “This mission combines knowledge, digital outreach, and content material technique. We’re making ready influencer outreach, sharpening electronic mail copy, and refining how we’ll current the findings.”

It’s an enormous elevate, nevertheless it positions OKRs Device as extra than simply software program – as a contributor to the broader dialog round how trendy groups outline and obtain success.

4:00 PM – Strolling to Reset

Afternoons can get heavy with calls and choices, so Steven blocks out an hour to step away.

“I take an extended stroll outdoors – no headphones, simply motion. That’s typically once I resolve product challenges or give you new characteristic concepts.”

Tallinn’s quiet streets and shoreline supply the form of psychological reset that many founders overlook.

5:00–7:00 PM – Constructing and Drawback-Fixing

Evenings are for creation. Steven and his improvement group log in to evaluate the present roadmap, talk about updates, and deal with bug fixes.

“That is my favourite a part of the day,” he admits. “It’s the place concepts flip into code. I’m fortunate to work with a proficient dev group that shares the identical deal with simplicity – holding OKRs Device intuitive, quick, and useful.”

The group’s philosophy mirrors the platform’s design: much less noise, extra readability.

7:00–10:00 PM – Cooking, Unwinding, and Studying

After work, Steven shifts gears fully. “I attempt to prepare dinner do-it-yourself meals at the least 5 occasions every week – it helps me decelerate and disconnect from work mode.”

Evenings are about stability: cooking, consuming properly, and winding down. “Earlier than mattress, I attempt to learn for at the least thirty minutes each night time. It’s a easy method to reset my mind and continue to learn with out gazing a display screen.”

That quiet shut helps him recharge for one more centered day.

3 Classes from the Founder’s Routine

1. Readability beats busyness

Many founders equate productiveness with doing extra. Steven’s strategy flips that pondering: focus solely on what actually strikes the corporate ahead. “For me, it’s about doing much less – however with complete readability. That’s what OKRs are all about.”

2. Steadiness fuels consistency

Operating a world SaaS product from Estonia means working throughout time zones, managing suggestions loops, and staying obtainable to prospects. Construction and mindfulness aren’t luxuries – they’re what hold vitality and focus sustainable.

3. Hearken to customers, not simply metrics

Whether or not it’s morning buyer assist or analyzing OKR knowledge, Steven prioritizes human suggestions over dashboards. Direct conversations with customers reveal insights that numbers alone can’t – they usually information higher product choices.

About OKRs Device

OKRs Device is a light-weight OKR platform constructed for startups and rising groups. It helps organizations set clear targets, observe measurable outcomes, and align every day work with long-term targets – all with out enterprise-level complexity.

You’ll be able to join with Steven on LinkedIn or discover extra insights about goal-setting, alignment, and startup development on the OKRs Device weblog.