We know all about Tim Cook’s Morning Routine, how he likes to start his day, what time he gets to work, and most importantly, what he likes to do before he gets there. But what about Elon Musk? How does Elon start his day? It could be argued that Musk has an even busier schedule than Tim Cook, as he has to oversee and run various companies, including Tesla, Space X, and The Boring Company.

Elon Musk’s morning routine

Elon Musk is a busy guy, but he also knows and appreciates the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Elon Musk usually sleeps around 1 a.m. most days, then gets up around 7 a.m. and ensures a solid 6 to 6.5 hours of sleep a night. Musk has said that this exact amount of time is his “sweet spot,” allowing him to function optimally without spending too much time in headland.

Sleep is really cool. If I don’t get enough sleep, I get pretty grumpy. I could fall below a certain sleep threshold, although I would be awake for more hours and would do less because my mental acuity would be affected.

Elon Musk

Musk is all about efficiency. His focus and dedication to efficiency are legendary. He even once emailed Tesla staff about how to make better use of his time. This email was later leaked online, giving outsiders an insight into how Elon runs Tesla. As most expected, time is respected and efficiency is king.

Here is an excerpt from the email Elon sent to Tesla employees, outlining his suggestions for making meetings more efficient:

The breakfast was chosen by Elon Musk

Elon is a pretty modern and forward-thinking guy, so it should come as no surprise that he often skips breakfast to save time and be more productive. If his day starts early and he has a lot to do, he can quickly make things better by fasting until lunchtime.

When Musk eats breakfast, he usually keeps it simple with two stalls that are coffee and eggs, usually in omelet form. This food choice is also important: Eggs fill you up and provide plenty of protein, and coffee gives you energy for the day ahead.

Does Elon Musk do intermittent fasting? Skipping breakfast is the most popular way to adopt this style of eating. Whether Musk does IF intentionally or simply as a result of not having enough time to eat in the morning, no one knows. I’m assuming you know all about the benefits of intermittent fasting, particularly the neuroprotective ones , so it’s entirely possible you’re doing this for reasons other than saving time.

However, one thing Musk NEVER skips is a shower. Speaking on JRE Musk said that he has some of the best ideas for him in the shower. For this reason, one is never lost. He also talked about his approach to working out at JRE, stating that if he could get away with not doing any exercise, he would. When pressed by Rogan, Musk confirmed that he lifts weights and runs on a treadmill.

Is Elon Musk a workaholic?

To run companies of the size and scope of Tesla and Space X, you have to be a certain kind of person. Usually, that type of person is described as a workaholic. Elon Musk is also no exception to this phrase: he works A LOT and doesn’t stop, sometimes for days. And this kind of work ethic takes a toll on you physically and mentally and in your relationships as well (Musk recently split from Grimes, for example).

In 2018, Musk was at his workaholic peak. logging more than 120 hours a week at Tesla and Space X. To put that number in context, the average workweek for the average American is 37.5 hours.

Elon Musk once did 120 hours of work a week…

Here is an excerpt from a 2018 interview where Musk talks about his work habits and long hours:

There were times when I didn’t leave the factory for three or four days, days when I didn’t leave. This has really come at the expense of seeing my children. And see friends. I just slept a few hours, worked, slept a few hours, worked, seven days a week. Some of those days must have been 120 hours, or something like that.

Elon Musk

However, this was in 2018, and since then, Musk has reduced his work hours to a more ” sustainable” level of 80 to 90 hours a week, almost more than triple the average workweek for most Americans. And this schedule, while less than he was making in 2018, has some pretty big downsides: Musk doesn’t spend much time with his baby, probably even less now that he and Grimes are apart.

Right now there’s not much I can do. Grimes has a much bigger role than me right now. When the child grows up, there will be more paper for me. I think I’m just doing what I’ve done with my other kids. If I have a Tesla trip to China, for example, I’ll take the kids with me and we’ll go see the Great Wall or take the bullet train from Beijing to Xian and see the Terracotta Warriors.

Elon Musk

Considering all of the above, the sacrifices, the time, and the grind, it’s easy to see why Musk is so successful and how he got to where he is today. But on the other hand, it is also evident that this kind of life is not suitable for, well… 99.9% of people.

Even before you factor in Musk’s intelligence and skill set, the sheer amount of time, risk, and focus required to do what he does on a day-to-day basis is simply staggering. Running multiple billion-dollar companies is NOT easy. But I also had no idea it was THAT hard.

Could you do a 120-hour workweek? I know I couldn’t, not for any amount of money.