How to Work Like Elon Musk (Even If You’re Just a Normal Person!)

Elon Musk is one of the busiest and most successful people in the world. He runs Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company—all at the same time! But how does he do it?

5/8/20243 min read

How to Work Like Elon Musk (Even If You’re Just a Normal Person!)

Introduction: Elon Musk is one of the busiest and most successful people in the world. He runs Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company—all at the same time! But how does he do it? What if you could apply his work habits to your own life? You don’t need to be a billionaire or a genius. You just need to think and work smarter. Here’s how you can adopt Elon Musk’s habits in a way that fits your daily routine.

1. Work Smart, Not Just Hard

Elon Musk’s Habit: Works 80-100 hours per week, using time-blocking to manage his day in 5-minute slots.
Normal Person’s Habit: Works 8 hours a day, often distracted by social media, emails, and unnecessary meetings.

How to Apply:

  • Plan your day using time-blocking (schedule specific hours for focused work, emails, and breaks).

  • Cut out distractions like social media during work hours.

  • Prioritize the most important tasks first.

2. Think Like a Scientist (First Principles Thinking)

Elon Musk’s Habit: Breaks problems down to their basic facts and finds new solutions.
Normal Person’s Habit: Follows traditional methods and doesn’t question why things are done a certain way.

How to Apply:

  • Don’t accept things as they are. Ask “why” five times to get to the root of a problem.

  • Think from the ground up. Instead of saying, “This is how it’s always done,” ask, “What’s the best way to do this?”

3. Keep Learning Every Day

Elon Musk’s Habit: Reads books on space, physics, AI, and engineering to stay ahead.
Normal Person’s Habit: Watches Netflix or scrolls through TikTok in free time.

How to Apply:

  • Replace 30 minutes of social media with reading every day.

  • Choose books, podcasts, or YouTube videos that teach you something new.

  • Surround yourself with smart people and ask them questions.

4. Make Fast Decisions & Keep Moving

Elon Musk’s Habit: Makes decisions quickly and adjusts along the way.
Normal Person’s Habit: Overthinks decisions and fears making mistakes.

How to Apply:

  • Use the 80/20 rule: Focus on the 20% of decisions that make 80% of the impact.

  • Don’t wait for perfection. Make a decision, test it, and adjust.

5. Focus on What Matters Most

Elon Musk’s Habit: Spends most of his time on engineering, product development, and problem-solving.
Normal Person’s Habit: Spends hours answering emails and attending unnecessary meetings.

How to Apply:

  • Identify your most valuable work and do that first.

  • Cut down unnecessary meetings and emails—keep them short and direct.

6. Push Yourself Beyond Comfort

Elon Musk’s Habit: Works under high pressure and sets impossible goals.
Normal Person’s Habit: Avoids hard challenges and stays in the comfort zone.

How to Apply:

  • Set challenging goals that push you beyond your limits.

  • Get comfortable with solving difficult problems.

  • Learn to handle stress and keep moving forward.

7. Sleep Enough, But Not Too Much

Elon Musk’s Habit: Sleeps about 6 hours per night and wakes up early.
Normal Person’s Habit: Sleeps 8+ hours but still feels tired due to bad routines.

How to Apply:

  • Sleep 6-7 hours of quality sleep (avoid screens before bed).

  • Wake up early and start your day with a purpose.

8. Take Risks & Don’t Fear Failure

Elon Musk’s Habit: Invested all his money into Tesla and SpaceX when both were near failure.
Normal Person’s Habit: Avoids risks and fears failure.

How to Apply:

  • Take calculated risks—don’t be afraid to try new things.

  • Learn from failure instead of fearing it.

  • Keep pushing forward, even when things don’t go as planned.

Final Thoughts: Can You Work Like Elon Musk?

Not everyone can work 100 hours a week like Elon Musk, but you can adopt his best habits to improve your work and life. Start small—pick one or two habits and apply them today. Over time, these changes will add up and make you more productive, focused, and successful.

Want to think and work like Elon Musk? Share this blog with someone who needs a productivity boost! 🚀