creative work Routines
16 routines focused on creative work
Benjamin Franklin
Polymath, Inventor, Founding Father
1706-1790
One of America's Founding Fathers, Franklin was a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, and political philosopher.
Key Takeaways
- •Start and end each day with reflective questions
- •Protect large blocks (4+ hours) for deep work
Maya Angelou
Poet, Author, Civil Rights Activist
1928-2014
American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist, best known for her series of seven autobiographies.
Key Takeaways
- •Separate creative space from living space
- •Morning hours for generation, afternoon for editing
Ludwig van Beethoven
Composer, Pianist
1770-1827
German composer and pianist, one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music.
Key Takeaways
- •Rituals create psychological readiness for creative work
- •Long uninterrupted blocks for complex creative tasks
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Composer, Musician
1756-1791
Prolific and influential composer of the Classical period, known for his operas, symphonies, and chamber music.
Key Takeaways
- •Multiple creative sessions can maximize output
- •Balance economic necessity with artistic passion
Charles Darwin
Naturalist, Biologist
1809-1882
English naturalist whose theory of evolution by natural selection became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies.
Key Takeaways
- •Work in short, focused bursts if energy is limited
- •Walking aids deep thinking and problem-solving
Franz Kafka
Writer
1883-1924
German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature.
Key Takeaways
- •Creative work is possible even with severe constraints
- •Late-night hours can be productive for some creators
Pablo Picasso
Painter, Sculptor
1881-1973
Spanish painter, sculptor, and co-founder of Cubism, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Key Takeaways
- •Work during your natural peak energy hours
- •Protect creative time from all interruptions
Victor Hugo
Poet, Novelist, Dramatist
1802-1885
French Romantic writer, best known for Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Key Takeaways
- •Morning hours for intensive creative work
- •Physical exercise maintains creative energy
Charles Dickens
Novelist
1812-1870
English writer and social critic, creator of some of the world's best-known fictional characters.
Key Takeaways
- •Rituals prepare the mind for creative work
- •Long walks provide observation and processing time
Sigmund Freud
Neurologist, Psychoanalyst
1856-1939
Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology.
Key Takeaways
- •Separate patient work from theoretical writing
- •Physical breaks between intense mental work
Immanuel Kant
Philosopher
1724-1804
German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers, known for his work in epistemology and ethics.
Key Takeaways
- •Extreme regularity can support creative work
- •Social intellectual engagement enriches solitary thinking
Thomas Mann
Novelist, Essayist
1875-1955
German novelist, short story writer, and essayist, winner of the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Key Takeaways
- •Morning hours for primary creative work
- •Reading feeds creative output
John Milton
Poet
1608-1674
English poet and intellectual, best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost.
Key Takeaways
- •Mental composition can replace physical writing
- •Disability requires adaptation, not surrender
Honoré de Balzac
Novelist, Playwright
1799-1850
French novelist and playwright, regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature.
Key Takeaways
- •Extreme routines can produce extreme output
- •Caffeine enables but also damages
W. H. Auden
Poet
1907-1973
Anglo-American poet, regarded as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.
Key Takeaways
- •Treat creative work as professional work
- •Regular hours produce more than inspiration
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Composer
1840-1893
Russian composer of the Romantic period, known for his ballets and symphonies.
Key Takeaways
- •Walking is essential for creative thinking
- •Routine provides stability for mental health