Running a rule-breaking, physics-bending, industry-disrupting automobile company sounds like a tremendous challenge. Add a mission to colonize Mars, juggling responsibilities across multiple groundbreaking companies, five beloved sons into the mix, and you have your hands full; unless your Elon Musk.
We examine a day in the life of Elon Musk by reviewing pools of first-hand interviews. Sources range from his Reddit AMA to Business Insider and Mashable.
7AM: Wake Up
Most days of the week, Elon wakes up in his LA mansion and his morning is centered on high-priority tasks, typically focusing on pressing issues within his companies, such as SpaceX, Tesla, or his newer ventures like Neuralink and xAI
Elon frequently skips over breakfast because he “doesn’t have time”, save to grab a quick cup of coffee on his way out the door. He’s currently weaning down his caffeine habit to 2-4 cups a day, down from a peak of 8+ Diet Cokes and several large cups of coffee when he started feeling “wired”.
His staple wellness habit is a “shower” in the morning, which any late night hacker or early-stage entrepreneur might acknowledge is not always guaranteed.
A domestic workforce of nannies helps prep his sons for school.
9AM: Emails, Phone Calls & Meetings
Taking a page out of his favorite childhood book, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Elon Musk navigates his way through space and time via the smartphone.
According to Elon, he types email “every interstitial moment” of the day on his smartphone. “Whether in a car, bathroom, walking, anywhere…”, without this he does not believe his lifestyle would be possible. He refers to himself as an “email expert” with “mad skills” – it’s his “core competency”. He prefers this mode of “asynchronous communication” for efficiency and being able to get stuff done on-the-go.
Musk’s workday begins with a deep dive into his companies’ ongoing projects. His recent focus includes advancements in Tesla’s autonomous driving technologies and the development of the Starship rocket at SpaceX, which is crucial for his Mars colonization plans. In 2024, Tesla is pushing the boundaries with a million-mile battery and enhanced AI for self-driving, while SpaceX is preparing for more ambitious missions to Mars.
Musk also dedicates time to Neuralink, which recently began human trials for its brain-computer interface, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history. The Boring Company continues to grow, focusing on its hyperloop project and new tunneling ventures aimed at revolutionizing urban transport.
Phone calls occupy much of the AM and are generally directed to journalists, job candidates, or conference calls. In-person meetings take place primarily with senior engineering or marketing teams.
1PM: Lunch
Knee-deep in meetings, Elon typically orders lunch delivery from local restaurants while he and his team continue throughout the afternoon. It usually doesn’t take him longer than “5 minutes” to swallow perhaps a chicken sandwich, veggies and a salad.
His favorite drink is Diet Coke. “They put something infernal in there so you never get sick of it.”
Late Afternoon: Rocket Factory
Afternoons are typically filled with meetings and design sessions. Musk is known for his hands-on approach, especially with Tesla and SpaceX, where he often delves into technical details. He discourages unnecessary meetings, preferring to keep them short and focused. Musk also utilizes the Pomodoro Technique, breaking his tasks into focused, five-minute intervals to maintain high productivity throughout the day
Elon walks the factory floor every day he’s at SpaceX. In his dual role as the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Elon still spends 80-90% of his time directly focused on engineering and technological challenges facing the team.
6PM: Long Business Dinners
Again lumping meal time with work, dinner is where Elon admittedly consumes most of his calories. Reserved perhaps for VIP meetings or those a bit more intimate or relaxed in nature, multiple course meals include appetizers and last up to two hours. Favorite restaurants are barbecue and French.
8PM: Fun
Although not an every day occurrence, Elon made a recent New Year’s Resolution to “have more fun” and has been known to make the A-list Hollywood circuit. His sister Tosca Musk is a producer and director, and he himself has executive produced multiple films.
Other outlets for fun include company celebrations after successful events, i.e. rocket launches, and getaways at Coachella and Burning Man. Perhaps more regularly and true to his past, he’ll play favorite video games or build cool stuff around the house with his sons.
10PM: Kids to Sleep & Email
Usually there’ll be a pile of email left over to handle at the end of the day. Elon may multi-task while putting the kids to sleep, or nannies will handle bedtime duties… “it’s the only way I can get it all done.”
1AM: Sleep
Musk ends his day with some light reading, which helps him relax and expand his knowledge. His interests vary widely, from science fiction to technical manuals, reflecting his diverse pursuits in technology and innovation. Reading is one of the few activities that Musk engages in purely for enjoyment and intellectual growth.
Elon was famous for putting in 100-hour workweeks and getting little sleep before he felt it “exponentially” damage him. He found that while he might stay up later, he sacrificed “mental acuity”. He now measures sleep with his trusty smartphone at a target average of 6 to 6.5 hours a night.
Originally published November 3, 2015.