- CEOs are often known for having extreme sleep schedules. We go further by getting up at 3:30 a.m.
- Stress management methods can range from strict workouts to long hours of meditation.
- “This is what makes me superhuman,” one CEO said of his morning routine.
Running a business is stressful work, especially if you run one of the largest companies in the world.
This high stress can lead to intense and unconventional daily habits. Here are some of the more unusual CEO routines:
1. Wake up to 3h30 and start of a 90 minute workout
CEOs are known for getting up early: Tim Cook and Richard Branson both get up around 5 a.m.
But Josh York, 40, CEO of at-home personal training company Gymguyz, goes one step further and starts his mornings at 3:29 a.m., he told Fortune.
After rinsing off with cold water in the shower, he embarks on a one-and-a-half-hour workout followed by a three-minute ice bath.
“That’s what makes me superhuman,” he told the outlet.
2. Bob Iger prefers to work out in a dark room with the TV on mute
Bob Iger, CEO of Disney. Somodevilla Chip via Getty Images
The Disney CEO works out early in the morning in a dark room, he explains in his masterclass on “Using Your Time Effectively.”
He keeps the TV on silent during his workout so he can watch it with music of his choice.
“This is my most creative time in many ways,” Iger said.
3. A teaspoon of Icelandic cod liver oil washed down with black coffee to start the day right
Mikael Berner, CEO of email software company Edison Software, starts his day with a dose of cod liver oil, a source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin D.
It is believed to have benefits such as promoting heart health and benefiting cells. Experts do not recommend taking more than 1 tablespoon per day to avoid consuming too much vitamin A.
4. Or if you’re Elon Musk, your morning routine involves eating a donut
Elon Musk. Taylor Hill/Getty Images
Tesla CEO Elon Musk opts for a gentle start to the day.
An article on X stated that sugar is poison. Musk replied: “I eat a donut every morning. Still alive.”
5. Mark Zuckerberg’s diet requires eating 4,000 calories a day
Mark Zuckerberg trains in MMA. Photo by Mark Zuckerberg / Instagram
The Meta CEO previously said on Threads that he eats around 4,000 calories to compensate for his intensive MMA and jiujitsu training.
Another diet popular with successful CEOs involves only eating during specific time slots: intermittent fasting.
6. Take an afternoon nap at the office
Robin Zeng, whose role as CEO of CATL, the world’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturing company, has earned him the nickname China’s “battery king,” takes a daily midday nap at the office, according to an interview given to the FT.
Some experts recommend short naps of 20 to 30 minutes to improve concentration and combat fatigue.
7. Two hours of meditation per day
Jack Dorsey likes to meditate every morning. Joe Raedle
Jack Dorsey, who runs financial services company Block, adhered to a strict wellness program that allowed him to “just stay above water” when he was also CEO of Twitter. Every day, you had to walk five miles, meditate for two hours, and eat only one meal.
Dorsey is a big proponent of mediation. For his birthday in 2018, he participated in a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat where he meditated for almost 17 hours every day
“This is extremely painful and demanding physical and mental work,” he said in a Twitter thread at the time.
8. “Eyes open” meditation
Gwyneth Paltrow. Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Goop
Gwyneth Paltrow, CEO of wellness brand Goop, is another fan of meditation.
She advocates “open eyes” meditation, which involves being attentive at all times in daily life.
“Once you learn how to do open-eyed meditation – something you can literally incorporate at any time – you can be in touch with the world while remaining very connected to yourself,” he said. he previously told Business Insider. “I rely on it to make me feel more whole.”
9. A massage just before midnight
If reading a book and meditating isn’t relaxing enough, Steven Barlett, former CEO and founder famous for his podcast Diary of A CEO, orders a massage at 11 p.m.
“I often get massages in the evening – it sounds crazy, but usually my masseuse comes to my house at 11 p.m.,” he told the Telegraph.
10. A more unusual habit among CEOs, Tobias Lutke says he never works after 5:30 p.m.
While some CEOs brag about their long hours in the office and nights spent sleeping on the office floor, Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke previously said he never works after 5:30 p.m.
“The only times I worked more than 40 hours a week was when I felt the urge to do so. I need 8 hours of sleep a night,” he said in a thread. on Twitter, now X.
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