Daniel Ek's Daily Routine

Daniel Ek co-founded Spotify in 2006 and ran it as CEO until the end of 2025, when he became its executive chairman. His daily routine starts late on purpose. He is up at 6:30 AM but doesn't begin work until 10:30 AM.

The first hour belongs to his family. Then come a workout, an hour's walk that is his thinking time, and an hour of reading. He described the morning to The Observer Effect, as CNBC reported in 2020, and once work starts he saves the big decisions for later in the day.

It's for anyone whose first hour belongs to the inbox, and whose days are so reactive that thinking never gets a turn. It also suits parents who want a real morning with their kids before work takes over.

You arrive at work having already seen your family, moved and thought, with the hard calls saved for a clear head. Even a 30-minute walk before you open email gives you a taste of it. He doesn't describe what comes after the morning, so the meals, the evening and the weekend are our estimates.