Most of these people say their rituals and strict daily routines helped shape their success.
Here’s a brief overview of how five tech titans start their mornings.
Jeff Bezos: $236 billion
The founder of Amazon likes to take it easy in the morning. He wakes without an alarm, reads newspapers, and sips coffee. And no phone calls!
His favorite breakfast is octopus with potatoes, bacon, green garlic yogurt, and a poached egg.
After that, he heads to the gym, where he spends 30 minutes on cardio and 45 minutes on weight training.
Bezos says his brain is most active at 10 a.m., which is when he schedules key meetings and makes his most important decisions.
On Sunday mornings, Bezos makes homemade pancakes, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Life Hacks:
- Simplify decision-making: choose your most productive time for important choices; don’t waste effort on trivial decisions like what to eat or wear.
- Schedule important meetings and work during the hours when you’re usually most focused.
Elon Musk: $415.8 billion
The founder of Tesla and SpaceX doesn’t wake up especially early—around 7:00 a.m. He prefers to get enough sleep to stay energized throughout the day.
Musk quickly checks his phone. Unlike other billionaires, he often has a donut for breakfast, though sometimes he skips breakfast altogether.
He says a morning shower is essential; it helps him wake up and prepares him for the day.
Overall, the billionaire keeps his morning simple and orderly, knowing that chaos awaits him later in the day.
Life Hacks:
- Check important emails first to help you strategize before arriving at the office.
- Break your time into intervals to focus on different tasks without feeling overwhelmed. If you have too many tasks, set deadlines for each.
Mark Zuckerberg: $213.5 billion
The founder of Meta starts his day promptly at 8 a.m. by checking Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp on his phone. He admits that this habit isn’t ideal.
In the morning, Zuckerberg practices jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. After his workout, he showers and gets dressed. He prefers to wear the same outfit every day to focus his mental energy on the most important decisions.
For breakfast, the billionaire keeps it simple: he eats whatever’s in the fridge, favoring straightforward foods.
Life Hacks:
- Don’t try to do everything at once: focus on what’s most important.
- Do a quick morning workout to energize your day.
Tim Cook: $2.3 billion
The CEO of Apple wakes up between 3:45 and 4:00 a.m. In the first hour after waking, he reads about 700 emails from customers and employees.
At 5 a.m., he heads to the gym for an hour. He doesn’t check his phone during his workout but listens to music—mostly classic rock. After the gym, the billionaire showers and has a breakfast of unsweetened cereal, almond milk, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon.
Life Hacks:
- Wake up early and use the quiet hours for yourself before tackling your most important tasks.
- Exercise regularly to improve your physical and mental health.
Sam Altman: $1.1 billion
Altman enjoys a large espresso right after waking. Altman doesn’t wake up early. During the 15 minutes he spends checking emails, he uses full-spectrum LED light to stay alert. If his attention starts to wane during his morning routine, he takes a break or switches to other tasks. Altman says morning is his most productive time, so he tries to schedule meetings before noon.
Life Hacks:
- Use full-spectrum LED lighting in the morning or spend some time outside to recharge your energy.
- Pay attention to your energy: if you lose focus, switch tasks or take a break to recharge.
