Daily Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration, and Get to Work

Daily Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration, and Get to Work by Mason Currey is a quick-reading collection of the daily habits of over 160 creatives—writers, artists, scientists, philosophers, and other iconic figures.

Key Highlights

1. Routine is a Creative Anchor Many creators rely on strict schedules to structure their day. e.g. Immanuel Kant woke at 5 a.m. and followed a rigid, predictable routine for the rest of the day. e.g. Ludwig van Beethoven counted exactly 60 coffee beans each morning to brew his coffee. e.g. Haruki Murakami writes from 4–10 a.m., then runs or swims, followed by reading and music.

➤ Discipline and structure often support—not stifle—creative output.

1. Early Mornings (and Sometimes Late Nights) Many great minds wake early and do their most creative work in the morning, when the mind is fresh. e.g. Benjamin Franklin rose at 5 a.m. and asked himself: “What good shall I do this day?” e.g. Ernest Hemingway wrote at dawn when he felt the most energy and focus. e.g. Others, like Franz Kafka and Marcel Proust, did their best work late at night.

➤ Creativity often comes in peak periods—identifying yours is key.

1. Work in Chunks Most creators didn’t work all day; rather, they produced in focused bursts (3–5 hours) and rested or took long walks afterward. e.g. Charles Darwin worked in short blocks interspersed with walks and reading. e.g. Jane Austen wrote in the morning and socialized in the afternoon.

➤ Working longer doesn’t always mean working better.

1. Walking and Movement as Thinking Tools Physical movement—especially walking—was a favorite ritual: e.g. Søren Kierkegaard would walk for hours to think through ideas. e.g. Beethoven took long walks with a pencil and paper in hand to jot down thoughts.

➤ Movement clears the mind and can ignite insights.

1. Solitude and Ritual as Protective Mechanisms Solitude, silence, and personal rituals helped many protect their creative space. e.g. Virginia Woolf needed privacy and a room of her own. e.g. Simone de Beauvoir wrote in the morning and saved afternoons for correspondence or reflection. e.g. Thomas Mann would dress formally before writing as if going to work.

➤ Environment, mindset, and ritual can help signal the brain to enter creative mode.

1. Drugs, Alcohol, and Caffeine Some used substances—often excessively—to fuel creativity (though many suffered for it). e.g. Balzac drank up to 50 cups of coffee a day. e.g. Jean-Paul Sartre took amphetamines and smoked heavily. e.g. Friedrich Schiller kept rotten apples in his drawer because he liked the smell.

➤ Habits can be odd, extreme, or harmful—but they reflect a craving for control or stimulation.

1. Creative Work + “Regular” Work Some managed creative work alongside full-time jobs: e.g. T.S. Eliot worked in a bank. e.g. Wallace Stevens was an insurance executive. e.g. Toni Morrison wrote early in the morning before teaching.

➤ Constraints don't always hinder creativity—they can shape it.