Do You Want to Be Wealthy? 4 Habits of American Millionaires

Some people say that millionaires are of a different breed—and many studies confirm that. The consensus is they spend their day different from an average American.

How do they divide their 24 hours? Here are the results from various types of research:

1. Mornings Are Sacred to Them

Most of the millionaires don’t wake up past 8:00 A.M., even if the likes of Jeff Bezos don’t use an alarm clock. Unlike many Americans who have to sprint getting their coffee and catching the subway or beating the traffic, the rich ones start their day slow.

They don’t open their e-mails or talk to their clients and staff right away. Instead, you’ll find them exercising, such as Anna Wintour. The Vogue editor in chief plays tennis before the clock hits six. Actor Mark Wahlberg is already busting muscles two hours earlier than Wintour.

The Queen of Talk Show Oprah Winfrey welcomes the day at around 6:00 A.M., relying only on her circadian rhythm to wake her up. She will then take her dogs for a walk and perform some spiritual exercises like meditation.

Why do the wealthy wake up early than the rest? Besides the fact that the early bird does catch the worm, it gives the feeling that one has more time to do the daily tasks. Moreover, it allows them to pick up the pace instead of rushing, so they can better manage their stress.

2. They Read—a Lot

Contrary to popular belief, Americans still read books, but the number pales compared to that of most millionaires. While an average individual gets to complete 12 titles (if they’re lucky) a year, the wealthy ones read at least 24 books during the same period.

Bill Gates, Microsoft’s owner and one of the voracious readers, could finish at least 50 titles a year. That’s an average of at least one book per week. Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, also has the same goal.

Their reading isn’t limited to books. They may also listen to audiobooks or subscribe to online papers to read breaking news. Even better, they do this for pleasure. For them, learning never stops.

As Zuckerberg says, reading can help someone know about other people’s culture, experiences, knowledge, and technology. The lessons can be applicable in improving their personal and professional lives.

3. The Wealthy Also Exercise

In 2018, the CDC released a report with an interesting finding: They found out that the level of fitness and the time people spend on physical activity varied per state.

Further, the researchers also found a direct correlation between the frequency of exercise and wealth. In other words, people in the wealthiest states work out more often.

The team believed that having higher income allows individuals to have better access to gym memberships, fitness equipment, and shoes, among others.

High-net-worth people like millionaires also exercise. At the very least, they try to achieve the minimum federal guidelines of 150 minutes of cardio per week. But the reason isn’t only because they have a lot of money to spare for workout clothes.

Many millionaires believe in delayed gratification or rewards. They don’t mind putting in the efforts today because they know they will reap the benefits later.

By keeping themselves healthy, especially when they’re still young, they can have better stamina once they’re already in their sunset years. Longevity with good quality of life will give them more time to pursue their passion.

Moreover, exercises don’t just strengthen the bones or the heart or build the muscles. They deliver a vast amount of oxygen into the brain. This keeps them awake, alert, and in a better mood throughout the day.

4. They Spend a Lot of Hours Working

One study suggests that, compared to other developed nations, the Americans are some of the most overworked people. They spend at least 50 hours a week doing their jobs.

Millionaires, though, spend so much more. In a 2017 article by Kathleen Elkins, most of those who belong to the seven-digit club work for at least 14 to 18 hours a day. That’s a whopping 70 hours Mondays to Fridays. It’s not uncommon for these people too to bring their work during holidays.

However, they always find time to be with their family. Bezos wakes up early to send his kids to school, while Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, finds time to tuck her children to bed.

The bottom line is that these wealthy individuals have a strong work ethic, yet they also know what they want and what matters.

Millionaires definitely have a different set of values, mindset, and characteristics than the average individuals. But their habits are doable if one makes time for them.

Meta title:How Do Millionaires Spend Their Day?
meta desc: Everybody gets 24 hours a day, but rich individuals use it differently than the rest. Learn how American millionaires spend their day.