I have recently started a new book called “Daily Rituals: How Artists Work“. This is a little gem of a book that features dozens of artists, current and from centuries ago. Instead of focusing on their lives or achievements, this book only dives into their daily habits. Sounds like a mundane thing to focus an entire book on, but it is fascinating! There are only a few pages dedicated to each artist, which makes it easy to read and absorb. Things mentioned include what time they got up, what they ate, how long they worked, took breaks and how much sleep they got at night.
What has been insightful for me is learning that these creative geniuses had routines they followed. When you think of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Andy Warhol, you just imagine them being gifted with a talent that immediately poured out on a whim. Not so. Their genius came through after dedicated hours to their craft and a disciplined approach to their work.
The second “a-ha” moment from reading these precious nuggets, is that the artists seemed to be aware of the timeframe when they were most creative/productive, and protected that time fiercely. After that, they allowed themselves to shut it down until their next “peak” time. This is comforting to me because I have come to realize that the hours between 5am – 12noon for me are my peak hours. After that, I start losing focus. I am thinking instead of butting my head against a wall when I can’t concentrate in the late afternoon, I can really start front loading my day with the most mentally tasking work in the morning.
Today is the first day of what I hope is to be a new routine for me – blogging 3 times a week in the morning before the kids wake up. Because I have not been carving out a specific time to write, it has been challenging to keep a consistent schedule of posting. If I am not consistent I will not improve. Having read and blogged about “The Power of Habit“, I understand that unless I make this part of my routine, it will never become a habit. That, combined with reading “Daily Rituals” has been encouraging and eye opening.
So, wish me luck as I attempt to follow in the footsteps of the creators of the past and start molding more productive habits.
ralph ranieri
Ale,
Good luck with your new routine. I used to get up at 4 am while the kids were sleeping. I’d go out to the garage with a cup of coffee and write for a few hours almost everyday. Consistency is a gem. I read your “Books” section and liked your writing and choice of books. I spent Thanksgiving with Joe and Jim in Louisville, Ky. Good luck Ale. Keep writing. Ralph
Ale Post author
Thank you! That is so interesting to know about you. Please tell all of the boys I said hello!