Inside Elon Musk’s Really Bizarre Daily Routine, from His Morning Doughnut to Bedtime
Here's Looking at Elon Musk’s Intimidating Schedule
Elon Musk is a dynamic entrepreneur who is deeply engaged with several leading technology companies. He serves as the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, owns Twitter (now rebranded as X), and is also a father of ten children. In the past, Musk stated that he worked up to 20 hours a day. In 2018, during an appearance on the podcast Recode Decode, Musk revealed that his responsibilities at Tesla and SpaceX sometimes led him to sleep on the factory floor and work over 120 hours a week. However, he mentioned reducing his workload to 80 to 90 hours a week later that year. So, here's everything you need to know about his schedule.
1. Musk Wakes Up Around 9 A.M.
In 2023, Musk told The Wall Street Journal that he typically goes to bed around 3 a.m. and sleeps for six hours, waking up around 9 a.m. daily. While he might have been joking when he responded to a doctor on X, saying he eats a 'donut every morning,' a quick search of Musk's posts reveals that he has a fondness for the sweet treat. "I only have 0.4 donuts at a time, because my brain neural network quantizes it down to 0 donuts," he posted to X in October.
2. Musk Begins His Mornings With His Phone First
In 2022, Musk mentioned on the Full Send podcast that he was trying to break the pattern of checking his phone as soon as he woke up, calling it a 'terrible habit' he hoped to overcome. However, as of last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that he still starts his day by immediately checking his phone for emergencies. If his posts on X are any indication, this habit has likely persisted. Musk has been active on the platform since before he acquired it in 2022. "Some days I wake up and look at Twitter to see if it's still working," Musk's biography Elon Musk reads.
3. Musk Personally Chooses His Ride for Office
As the CEO of one of the top electric vehicle manufacturers, it's understandable that Musk has multiple options for his daily commute. When a user on X posted a meme about choosing between driving a Cybertruck without an autopilot or a Tesla Model S with self-driving technology, Musk responded that it's a decision he confronts 'every day,' per Business Insider. Since its official launch in November, the Cybertruck has frequently appeared in the background of many celebrity paparazzi shots and Instagram posts.
4. Musk Didn't Shy Away From Night Shifts When Needed
Musk has openly acknowledged the challenges of running multiple companies. He mentioned in 2021 that he divided his time between his various ventures based on the 'crisis of the moment.' In January 2023, a user on X highlighted Musk's packed schedule, noting that he testified in a lawsuit in the morning, attended an event at a Tesla factory in Nevada in the evening, and worked with Tesla on artificial intelligence at night, all within a single day. Moreover, "I go to sleep, I wake up, I work, go to sleep, wake up, work—do that seven days a week. I'll have to do that for a while — no choice — but I think once Twitter is set on the right path, I think it is a much easier thing to manage than SpaceX or Tesla," Musk told The Wall Street Journal during an interview.
5. Musk Goes to Bed Around 3 A.M., Getting Six Hours of Sleep
While Musk isn't hitting the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, he has improved his sleep schedule from nearly nonexistent in the past. In May 2023, Musk shared with CNBC that he has stopped pulling all-nighters. Instead, he now aims to get at least six hours of sleep each night. According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Musk, the billionaire has frequently spent sleepless nights pondering the challenges his companies encounter. As stated before, throughout his career, Musk has been known to sleep on the floors of his offices and even at the Tesla factory. Following his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, Musk practically made its San Francisco headquarters his second home. He mentioned crashing on a couch in the library there from time to time.
