Most tech leaders are known for running on little sleep and being glued to their phones. But Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has taken a very different path.
In a conversation with Lex Fridman on his podcast this week, Durov revealed that he spends 11 to 12 hours in bed every night. To him, lying awake with his thoughts racing isn’t a problem—it’s a blessing. Some of his best ideas, he said, have come in those late-night hours when the mind wanders freely.
What happens when he wakes up? Unlike most of us, Durov doesn’t reach for his phone first thing in the morning. In fact, he tries to limit his phone usage as much as possible. Lex Fridman even noted that after spending two weeks with Durov, he never once saw him scrolling through social media.
Durov explained why: “My philosophy here is pretty simple. I want to define what is important in my life. I don’t want other people or companies, all kinds of organizations, telling me what is important today and what I should be thinking about.”
That’s an unusual stance for someone who built his career around apps that keep people glued to their devices. First, he cofounded VKontakte, Russia’s largest social network. Then, he launched Telegram, now one of the world’s biggest messaging platforms.
Still, Durov admits the balance is tricky. His life’s work revolves around connecting people digitally, yet he believes constant connectivity makes people less productive and less original. “The more connected and accessible you are, the less productive you are,” he said.
Durov has long been outspoken on issues of tech and privacy. In August, he made headlines when he said he would “rather die” than hand over Telegram user data to third parties. Around the same time, he was arrested in France on allegations of enabling illegal activity on Telegram—charges he firmly denies.
Love him or hate him, Durov’s approach is striking: a tech mogul who wants less screen time, more sleep, and more space for his own ideas. And perhaps, in an age of endless notifications, that’s exactly what makes him stand out.
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