Elon Musk has drawn attention once again, not for innovations in space travel or electric cars, but for the extraordinarily long hours reported by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In a February statement, Musk claimed that he and his DOGE team are working 120 hours weekly, far exceeding typical work schedules and leaving scant time for rest or personal activities.
“Our bureaucratic opponents optimistically work 40 hours a week,” Musk reportedly said. “That is why they are losing so fast.”
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This bold claim underscores Musk's relentless work ethic but has sparked debate over the sustainability and health impacts of such demanding schedules.
Scant Hours Left for Rest and Daily Life
Considering the total of 168 hours in a week, dedicating 120 hours to work leaves only 48 hours for sleep, commuting, meals, and personal care.
Assuming all non-working time is devoted to sleep, this translates to roughly 6.8 hours per night. However, this ideal scenario ignores commuting and essential life activities, which likely reduce actual rest time.
Given Musk's previous statements condemning remote work as “morally wrong” in 2023, it is improbable that DOGE employees enjoy flexible schedules that might offset fatigue. Daily travel and office demands probably cut into their sleep even further.
Health Authorities Warn of Risks
Medical experts consistently caution against the dangers of insufficient sleep and extended working hours. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults who regularly sleep fewer than seven hours per night face increased risks of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, and mental health issues. The CDC likewise emphasizes that inadequate rest can cause serious medical conditions.
In addition, the World Health Organization released a 2021 study linking excessive work hours to fatal outcomes. Data from 2016 revealed that over 745,000 deaths worldwide were caused by stroke or heart disease related to working at least 55 hours weekly.
WHO associates a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of heart disease with such long workweeks.
“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO’s director of the Department of Public Health and Environment.
Diminishing Returns on Productivity
Despite Musk’s energetic image, research questions the effectiveness of intense work hours. A 2014 study from Stanford University showed that productivity per working hour drops noticeably after 50 hours per week, with little gain beyond 56 to 70 hours.
This suggests that the DOGE team’s prolonged hours may not translate to greater outcomes. Excessive long hours often yield reduced efficiency and could potentially harm overall progress.
Musk’s Grueling Work Ethic as Example
Renowned for pushing his limits, Musk recounted in a 2022 interview with Baron Capital CEO Ron Baron that he endured sleeping in factories during challenging periods.
“I slept on the couch at one point, in a tent on the roof, and for a while there, I was just sleeping under my desk, which is out in the open in the factory,” Musk said. “It was damn uncomfortable sleeping on that floor and always, when I woke up, I’d smell like metal dust.”
He has openly admitted the challenges of managing several major enterprises including DOGE, Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, describing his efforts as “very difficult.”
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