{"id":427869,"date":"2026-04-09T16:02:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/427869\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T16:02:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:02:34","slug":"self-made-billionaire-mrbeast-says-his-work-life-balance-is-nonexistent-and-calls-it-a-miracle-if-he-works-less-than-15-hours-a-day-i-live-to-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/427869\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-made billionaire MrBeast says his work-life balance is nonexistent and calls it a \u2018miracle\u2019 if he works less than 15 hours a day: \u2018I live to work\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast<\/a>, has spent the past decade climbing to the top of online content. Now one of the most popular creators in the world, he boasts a record 476 million subscribers on YouTube<\/a> alone\u2014fueled by increasingly extreme stunts, from spending a week living in a cave<\/a> to even being buried in a coffin<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But building one of the biggest multibillion-dollar entertainment businesses born out of social media has taken a toll on his time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI live to work and 100% do not have a healthy work-life balance,\u201d Donaldson wrote on X<\/a>, after a docuseries<\/a> titled How MrBeast Works 18 Hours per Day was released <\/strong>and people commented on his lack of balance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a miracle if a day was less than 15 hours for me,\u201d Donaldson said in the docuseries, adding that his schedule is \u201cliterally planned down to the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the same time he was filming the second installment of his Amazon<\/a> Prime competition series, Beast Games<\/a>, Donaldson also maintained regular production of his high-budget YouTube<\/a> videos, which regularly rack up more than 100 million views. And he pointed to video thumbnails as an example of the operation\u2019s precision: Donaldson employs a body double to help stage and test concepts, allowing him to step in briefly for the final shot before moving on to the next task. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverything has to be perfect because I don\u2019t have much time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

MrBeast is planning to build a media empire rivaling Disney\u2014and he\u2019s growing his team by 50% this year alone<\/p>\n

While not every day may be as relentless for Donaldson as the one filming Beast Games,\u00a0his pace reflects a broader ambition: He isn\u2019t just making videos\u2014he\u2019s building an entertainment empire under Beast Industries, one he has said he hopes will one day rival Disney<\/a>. That expansion now stretches beyond content into areas like financial services<\/a> and telecom<\/a>, further increasing demands on his time.<\/p>\n

To support that growth, Beast Industries<\/a> is rapidly scaling. CEO Jeff Housenbold, a veteran of Silicon Valley who joined the company in 2024, said<\/a> this week the company plans to expand its workforce by 50% including roles in New York, Los Angeles, and its Greenville, N.C., headquarters\u2014Donaldson\u2019s hometown. Hiring is focused on areas including marketing, engineering, and consumer products.<\/p>\n

One job posting<\/a>, to be a recruiter in New York, for example, is advertised with a total compensation package of between $130,000 and $160,000, plus equity. The company also offers relocation support, including company-provided housing for the first 90 days, and notably does not require college degrees for most roles.<\/p>\n

But despite building what\u2019s been valued as a $5 billion business, Donaldson has said that hasn\u2019t translated into personal liquidity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have negative money right now; I\u2019m borrowing money. That\u2019s how little money I have,\u201d Donaldson told the Wall Street Journal<\/a> in a video released earlier this year. \u201cTechnically, everyone watching this video has more money than me in their bank account if you subtract the equity value of my company, which doesn\u2019t buy me McDonald\u2019s in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

That tradeoff underscores how deeply Donaldson continues to reinvest in his business\u2014both financially and with his time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wake up, I just work \u2026\u00a0I\u2019m just so busy working I don\u2019t really think about my personal bank account,\u201d Donaldson added. \u201cI\u2019m just laser-focused on making the greatest videos as possible, and building the business as big as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donaldson\u2019s team declined Fortune\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n

Work-life balance is a tradeoff, according to many top business leaders<\/p>\n

Donaldson is far from alone in suggesting that success at the highest levels can require an all-consuming commitment to work. Countless business leaders have spoken about periods of intense sacrifice in their careers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mark Cuban is a prime example. He said that work-life balance<\/a> isn\u2019t realistic for those chasing outsize success.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no balance,\u201d Cuban said on The Playbook, a series from Sports Illustrated. \u201cIf you want to work nine-to-five, you can have work-life balance. If you want to crush the game, whatever game you\u2019re in, there\u2019s somebody working 24 hours a day to kick your ass.\u201d<\/p>\n

But others argue that the approach isn\u2019t always sustainable. Netflix<\/a> cofounder Marc Randolph<\/a>, for example, said throughout his career, he made it a priority to balance work with life.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor over 30 years, I had a hard cutoff on Tuesdays. Rain or shine, I left at exactly 5 p.m. and spent the evening with my best friend,\u201d he wrote<\/a> in a 2023 LinkedIn<\/a> post that has recirculated<\/a> on social media. \u201cWe would go to a movie, have dinner, or just go window-shopping downtown together.\u201d <\/p>\n

Even JPMorgan Chase<\/a> CEO Jamie Dimon\u2014known for his high standards<\/a> and return-to-office push<\/a>\u2014has emphasized the importance of balance. Speaking to students at Georgetown University in 2024, he said: \u201cWhat we tell our people at JPMorgan is you have to take care of your mind, your body, your spirit, your soul, your friends, your health. You really have to.\u201d<\/p>\n