Bank of America’s CEO Reads 5 Newspapers, Responds to Email and Works Out — All Before 7 a.m.

Brian Moynihan doesn’t wait for the world to wake up. The CEO of Bank of America, the second-largest bank in the United States by revenue, starts his day well before sunrise, cycling through five newspapers, clearing his email inbox and completing a workout, all before 7 a.m., he recently disclosed in an interview with NBC News.

At 66 years old, and 16 years into his tenure as CEO, Moynihan credits one simple principle for his ability to stay on top of a sprawling business with over 212,000 employees: preparation. 

“I think the antidote to anything is preparation,” Moynihan told Fortune last year. “I’m not a professional athlete, but you watch the great professional athletes and, when you watch them, what happens is, when times get tough, they slow the world down. And some do it by techniques. You can see the breathing techniques, but others just do it by just how they mentally focus, and I think so it’s the same [in] business.”

That mindset shows up in every corner of his day. By the time he arrives at Bank of America’s offices, Moynihan has already processed a morning’s worth of news, email and physical conditioning. He arrives ready to start his day, and he expects his colleagues to show up the same way. 

To add to that expectation, punctuality is a cultural norm at Bank of America, and it comes directly from the top.

“We have a pretty big history in this company — if you’re late, you’re actually selfish, and that’s ingrained in people,” Moynihan told NBC News. “So we try to always be on time, not because we say you have to be on time, like it’s some rule, but you’re being selfish to other people involved.”

How other CEOs start their day

Moynihan’s morning routine places him in elite company. Some of the world’s most powerful executives protect their mornings as a window of time before the demands of the day intrude. 

For example, Apple CEO Tim Cook sets his alarm for 3:45 a.m. every morning. His first act is to read customer emails on his iPhone, a practice he says keeps him grounded. By 5 a.m., he is at the gym, working out to the sound of classic rock. 

Meanwhile, Moynihan’s biggest banking rival CEO, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, also reads five newspapers every morning. The chief executive wakes up at 4:30 or 5 a.m. to work through The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Financial Times and The Economist. After his reading block, Dimon squeezes in a 45-minute cardio session before commuting to JPMorgan’s offices by 7:30 a.m. 

Bob Iger, Disney’s former CEO, wakes up at a similar time every day, 4:15 a.m., and goes straight into a workout, alone, in a darkened room. He listens to music throughout his workout and blocks out email or news. He typically arrives at the office by 7 a.m., turns on the lights and makes the coffee himself. 

Brian Moynihan doesn’t wait for the world to wake up. The CEO of Bank of America, the second-largest bank in the United States by revenue, starts his day well before sunrise, cycling through five newspapers, clearing his email inbox and completing a workout, all before 7 a.m., he recently disclosed in an interview with NBC News.

At 66 years old, and 16 years into his tenure as CEO, Moynihan credits one simple principle for his ability to stay on top of a sprawling business with over 212,000 employees: preparation. 

“I think the antidote to anything is preparation,” Moynihan told Fortune last year. “I’m not a professional athlete, but you watch the great professional athletes and, when you watch them, what happens is, when times get tough, they slow the world down. And some do it by techniques. You can see the breathing techniques, but others just do it by just how they mentally focus, and I think so it’s the same [in] business.”