Ludwig van Beethoven's Daily Routine
Finish your creative work before mid-afternoon. Ludwig van Beethoven's daily routine: 60 beans to every cup of coffee, then composing until 2:30 PM.
By Colin PaceUpdated
Overview
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote 9 symphonies and kept composing after he lost his hearing. His daily routine began with coffee he made himself, 60 beans to the cup, often counted out one by one. It ended early, because he never worked in the evening.
He composed from 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM, breaking now and then to walk outdoors, according to Meaning Ring's notes on Daily Rituals. After dinner he set off on a long walk with a pencil and music paper in his pocket, in case an idea turned up. The rest of the day went to a tavern, the newspaper and supper.
It suits anyone whose best ideas arrive early and whose evenings keep getting eaten by leftovers from the day. If you want your work finished before the world starts asking for things, this is the shape.
You get one long block when your head is clearest, a walk that loosens what the desk couldn't, and nights with nothing owed. To start today, guard your first 2 hours and carry a notebook on your walk. The 9:30 PM bedtime and the 4 hours of evening reading are our estimates.
Who's it for
At a glance
- 8 hr 30 min sleep per night
- 56 hr work per week
- 3 meals per day
- 16 hr eating window
- 7 hr movement per week
- 28 hr play per week
Schedule
Similar frameworks
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