Elon Musk Proposes 120-Hour Workweeks

Elon Musk proposes 120‑hour workweeks.
Musk suggests eliminating the 8-hour day.
Extreme schedule raises health concerns.

Business magnate Elon Musk has stirred controversy again.

This time, by suggesting that his employees work 120 hours per week.

The proposal runs counter to global trends toward shorter workweeks.

This was reported by CNN.

Elon Musk Proposes 120-Hour Workweeks and Sparks Debate

Elon Musk, the magnate who owns the social network X and Tesla, is once again at the center of controversy. This time, for advocating workweeks of up to 120 hours, including weekends.

Employees at Neuralink confirmed to Reuters that the entrepreneur even asked… pic.twitter.com/w0X8BWoxN5

— El Cronista (@Cronistacom) July 6, 2025

While many countries are discussing work models with 40- or even 35-hour weeks, Elon Musk is going in the opposite direction.

The billionaire and former official in Donald Trump’s administration publicly defended the idea that his workers could work up to 120 hours per week—that is, 24 hours per day for five days.

During his time in the Republican administration, Elon Musk played a key role in fiscal adjustment plans and reiterated his rejection of reducing work hours.

“Our bureaucratic opponents work 40-hour weeks. That’s why they are losing so fast,” he said, marking a confrontational tone with those who advocate for more balanced work schedules.

From Extreme Demand to Human Toll

Sergey Brin joins @realElomusk and #CarlosSlim in supporting #nonstop workweeks as key to increasing productivity, according to the NYT https://t.co/8zIv6rIdc8

— Dinero en Imagen (@DineroEnImagen) May 23, 2025

The idea of a 120-hour workweek is not new within Musk’s ecosystem. Earlier this year, the entrepreneur claimed that his team was already operating at that pace, particularly in the context of the development of DOGE and what he referred to as the “Trump 2.0” administration.

Nonetheless, the figure has raised alarms.

A week has 168 hours; a 120-hour workweek leaves only 48 for sleeping, eating, and all other activities.

That means less than 7 hours per day for everything else—even under a Monday-to-Friday schedule.

Severe Health Risks

Health experts have warned of the negative effects of such long workweeks. According to Times of India, citing Mayo Clinic experts, this type of schedule is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and even depression.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also warned that getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can lead to chronic illnesses and significantly affect quality of life.

Although controversial, Elon Musk’s remarks have once again put the spotlight on the need to balance productivity with well-being.

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