A day in the life of billionaire Richard Branson, who always carries a pen, despises ties, and drinks up to 20 cups of tea a day
Branson says it's important to approach life with a sense of adventure: "The spirit of adventure motivates us to set goals, push ourselves, thrive in the face of hardship, and achieve epic feats."
After enjoying dinner with family and friends, Branson hits the hay around 11 p.m. every night. He says he usually requires about six hours of shut-eye.
Source: Virgin
He's not a big TV watcher, but he does enjoy the odd movie — he even made a cameo appearance in "Casino Royale" — and listens to Peter Gabriel, Mike Oldfield, and The Sex Pistols.
Source: Virgin
To stay focused and relaxed amid his work and extreme hobbies, Branson takes some time to practice yoga and Thai Chi during the day.
Source: Virgin
... like constantly striving to break world records. In 1985, Branson's boat, the Virgin Atlantic Challenger, sunk just before breaking the trans-Atlantic speed record. Branson and the crew were rescued, and went on to break the record in 1986.
Source: Business Insider, The New York Times
The Virgin founder has many hobbies, like playing chess. Some of his past times, however, are somewhat unusual ...
Source: Virgin
When it comes to food, Virgin's website reports that Branson enjoys egg sandwiches, along with "his wife's stews, shepherds pie or a Great British roast dinner."
Source: Virgin
To keep up his energy throughout the day, Branson drinks up to 20 cups of tea — white, no sugar.
Source: Virgin
Carrying a notebook also keeps him on track. "My secret 'life hack' has also been to write it down! I can't tell you where I'd be if I hadn't had a pen on hand to write down my ideas as soon as they came to me," Branson wrote in a blog post.
Source: Virgin
"Being a modern business leader is all about having your finger on the pulse and knowing what you're talking about. I'm always checking in with our Virgin teams," Branson wrote on his blog.
Source: Virgin
He spends his workdays staying on top of business, checking his various social media platforms, reading the news, and keeping in touch with his employees.
Source: Virgin
In fact, his famous hatred of ties has prompted Branson to snip them off peoples' necks.
Source: Business Insider
Back at the office, Branson doesn't don fancy suits and designer ties. "I hate ties. I can't understand how ties ever caught on," he told the Wall Street Journal in 2014.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Getting an early start to the day isn't only about exercising. Branson lives on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, which he bought for about $320,000 in 1979. "Living in the BVI, I like to be online early, so that I am accessible and available to our offices in other time zones," he wrote.
Source: Business Insider, Virgin
"There's nothing quite like the feeling of freedom, exhilaration, and oneness with nature that comes from kiting – and the extraordinary rush of adrenaline it gives you," he wrote in a blog post.
Source: Virgin
In a blog post, he wrote that he'd recommend kite-surfing to anyone with access to a body of water.
Source: Virgin
In 2009, he kite-surfed with a naked model on his back. In February, he hit the waves to compete against former US President Barack Obama.
Sources: Business Insider, Business Insider
Once he's up, he's ready to move. Some of his favorite activities include kite-surfing, swimming, cycling, and tennis. Virgin's website says the founder has a "mean tennis serve."
Source: Business Insider, Virgin
He carves out plenty of time to spend with his family and eat breakfast. "Not only does this help them know how important they are to me, but it also grounds me before I start my day," he wrote.
Source: Business Insider, Virgin
Branson wakes up at 5 a.m. every day. "Getting up and at it early gives me time to get on top of things, and chart my day effectively," he wrote in a 2014 blog post.
Source: Business Insider, Virgin
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