Sigmund Freud
Neurologist, Psychoanalyst • 1856-1939
Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology.
Daily Schedule
What to Learn from Sigmund's Routine
Freud's routine was a model of Victorian discipline adapted to the demands of psychoanalytic practice. Seeing patients from 8 AM to 1 PM, then again from 3 PM to 9 PM, he maintained an exhausting schedule of back-to-back 50-minute sessions. The one-hour lunch break and afternoon walk (4-5 PM) were essential for mental reset between patient blocks. His evening walk with his wife provided both exercise and emotional connection after a day of absorbing others' psychological distress. The late-night writing and reading (10:30 PM to 1 AM) produced his groundbreaking theories—'The Interpretation of Dreams,' 'Civilization and Its Discontents,' and other works that revolutionized psychology. This schedule reveals the physical and mental demands of therapeutic work, and how Freud protected time for his own intellectual development despite a full clinical practice. His morning beard trim wasn't vanity but part of the professional presentation essential for patient trust. The routine shows how clinical practice and theoretical work can coexist, though at the cost of personal time and sleep.
Key Takeaways
- •Separate patient work from theoretical writing
- •Physical breaks between intense mental work
- •Late-night hours for deep intellectual work
- •Professional presentation matters for trust
Sources
- • Freud: A Life for Our Time by Peter Gay
- • Daily Rituals by Mason Currey
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