Yusef Alyusef, managing director at Alvarez & Marsal Saudi Arabia: My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Yusef Alyusef, managing director and partner at Alvarez & Marsal in Riyadh (LinkedIn). Edited excerpts from our conversation:

I’m an early morning person. I start my day early with prayers. On weekdays, this coincides with my four children getting ready for school. I help get them ready, and those moments are very important to me — just wishing them luck and seeing them off. My morning coffee time is for catching up on overnight and late evening emails. I check my calendar and line up a simple plan for the day.

I time my commute to avoid the rush. Mornings in Riyadh can be quite busy, so I try to avoid the school and business rush hours. Increasingly, I’ve been using the metro since it launched late last year — it’s been a game-changer for me. I typically arrive at the office before noon, which is when most of my client and team meetings start.

I stay focused by setting clear priorities. I rank my tasks by urgency and importance and block time to concentrate on high-priority items without interruption. I also check emails at set times to avoid constant distraction. I rely heavily on our executive assistants to manage my calendar and protect my focus time.

To wind down, I switch off by being with family. Most evenings, I like to have dinner at home and catch up with my wife and kids about their day. I’m also a football fan, so I follow my Saudi team closely — though I won’t say which one to avoid upsetting any clients. I also watch big European matches in the Premier League or La Liga. For activity, I enjoy light workouts, usually swimming or a short walk.

I enjoy media that blends survival and mystery. I listen to podcasts related to tax and business, like Talking Tax on Bloomberg, and read news from platforms like Forbes and EnterpriseAM. For entertainment, I love shows like Lost or movies like Castaway. They resonate with me, perhaps because of my background working in aviation and logistics, and I appreciate stories where people work together under pressure to resolve problems.

The best advice I’ve received is to “enjoy the journey, not just the destination.” It applies to career, family, and personal goals. We often focus so much on the next achievement that we forget to appreciate the progress we’re making. For me, that means balancing ambition with presence.

Trust your ability to adapt. Leaving a secure government role for the private sector was one of the biggest leaps in my career. It required faith in my capabilities, but it taught me that we are often capable of more than we think. Stay grounded, and trust yourself to take bold steps when opportunity calls.

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