In a world where CEOs compete over who wakes up earliest and meditates the longest, Sundar Pichai is a quiet outlier. The Google and Alphabet chief runs a company of over 85,000 employees across five continents, manages some of the most consequential technology decisions in the world – and starts his day at a very unhurried 6:30 to 7 AM.
As per his own admission in an interview during Recode with Lauren Goode, “I’m not a morning person.” For someone in his position, that’s almost a radical thing to say out loud.
What makes Pichai’s routine worth paying attention to is the lack of glorified hustle culture which is promoted as the MO everywhere today. Instead, his mornings are built around calm and consistent habits that have stayed with him long before the corner office.
The newspaper, the tea, and the omelette
The first thing Pichai reaches for in the morning isn’t his phone – it’s a newspaper. According to his interview with Goode, “Believe it or not, I read a physical paper every morning. I read the Wall Street Journal every day, and I also catch up with the New York Times online later in the day.” He has called this morning newspaper ritual as a continuation of a childhood relationship with the world.
For the CEO of one of the world’s most powerful internet companies to choose print as his morning anchor is, as he acknowledged himself, a bit of an irony – and entirely intentional.
Breakfast follows, and it is as no-frills as the rest of his routine. As per Pichai, “I’m vegetarian so I need to get my protein. I always have an omelette in the morning with toast.” Accompanying that is a cup of tea – English breakfast, specifically.
In the interview, Pichai laughed while explaining: “I’m very particular about having my tea. That’s very English, but I grew up in India.” It is a small detail that says a lot; a man who has lived between cultures and held onto the best of both.
The Monday ritual that keeps him ahead
According to Daily O, Pichai has one addition built into his Monday mornings that sets the tone for the entire week – he carves out time before heading to the office to map out exactly what he wants to accomplish.
He avoids checking his phone first thing in the morning and purposefully avoids checking emails or scheduling meetings until after breakfast.
As for exercise, Pichai has been candid that mornings aren’t his window for that either. According to his Recode interview, he prefers to save workouts for the evening – keeping mornings free for the quieter, more reflective habits he credits with setting the right tone.
In a different interview with Lex Fridman when he was asked how someone so humble and kind climbs to the very top of a cutthroat world, Pichai said, “I do get angry. I do get frustrated. I have the same emotions all of us do. But over time I figured out the best way to get the most out of people, you find mission-oriented people who are in the shared journey, who have this inner drive to excellence.”
That instinct has real backing. As per a study published in the Journal of Management – featured by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center – consciously reconnecting with your goals at the start of the day makes people more engaged, more focused, and better performers at work. The study’s co-author Charlotte Fritz noted that engaged employees “perform better and help out more with extra tasks.”
He outlines three leadership principles: mastering composure under pressure because calm fosters psychological safety; leading like a skilled coach, knowing when to guide, when to inspire, when to step back; and being conscious of the ripple effect of a leader’s tone and energy on the entire organisation.
Disclaimer: The morning routine and lifestyle habits described in this article are based on Sundar Pichai’s own public statements and interviews. This article is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health or lifestyle advice. Readers are advised to consult a qualified health professional before making any changes to their diet, sleep or exercise routine.