Mahatma Gandhi's Daily Routine
Protect your own work in a crowded day by starting at 4:00 AM. Mahatma Gandhi kept an ashram timetable and spent every Monday in silence.
By Colin PaceUpdated
Overview
Mahatma Gandhi led India's campaign for independence from British rule through nonviolent resistance. From 1936 he lived at the Sevagram ashram in central India and ran his days there by the clock. Every Monday he did not speak at all.
The Sevagram ashram timetable has him up at 4:00 AM for prayers at 4:20 AM, then writing until breakfast at 7:00 AM, a walk of about 5 km and ashram chores. Visitors and writing came at 8:30 AM, an oil massage in the sun and a bath at 9:30 AM, lunch at 11:00 AM, letters and visitors from 1:00 PM, spinning at 4:30 PM, supper at 5:00 PM, prayers at 6:00 PM and another walk before bed at 9:00 PM. On his Monday day of silence he wrote notes when he had to and used the day to finish the week's pending work. Lapham's Quarterly adds that he checked his watch all day and often went to bed past midnight.
It suits anyone whose days fill up with other people: the early start and a weekly quiet day keep time for your own work. Treat the hours as his ideal rather than a record of every day. How long each block ran, and the split between letters and visitors, are our estimates.
At a glance
- 7 hr sleep per night
- 56 hr work per week
- 3 meals per day
- 11 hr eating window
- 10.5 hr movement per week
- 17.5 hr play per week
Sleep
49 hours/week7 hr per night
- Mon9:00 PM → 4:00 AM· 7 hr
- Tue–Sun9:00 PM → 4:00 AM· 7 hr
No naps.
Work
56 hours/week8 hr a day2 hr writing2 hr 30 min meetings2 hr email1 hr 30 min admin
- Writing5:00 AM → 7:00 AM· 2 hr · Mon
- Writing8:30 AM → 9:30 AM· 1 hr · Mon
- Email1:00 PM → 3:00 PM· 2 hr · Mon
- Admin3:00 PM → 4:30 PM· 1 hr 30 min · Mon
- Admin7:30 PM → 9:00 PM· 1 hr 30 min · Mon
- Writing5:00 AM → 7:00 AM· 2 hr · Tue–Sun
- Meetings8:30 AM → 9:30 AM· 1 hr · Tue–Sun
- Email1:00 PM → 3:00 PM· 2 hr · Tue–Sun
- Meetings3:00 PM → 4:30 PM· 1 hr 30 min · Tue–Sun
- Admin7:30 PM → 9:00 PM· 1 hr 30 min · Tue–Sun
Eat
14 hours/week3 meals13:11 eating window2 hr eating
- Breakfast7:00 AM → 7:30 AM· 30 min · Mon
- Lunch11:00 AM → 12:00 PM· 1 hr · Mon
- Dinner5:00 PM → 5:30 PM· 30 min · Mon
- Breakfast7:00 AM → 7:30 AM· 30 min · Tue–Sun
- Lunch11:00 AM → 12:00 PM· 1 hr · Tue–Sun
- Dinner5:00 PM → 5:30 PM· 30 min · Tue–Sun
Off
Move
10.5 hours/weekWalk 7:30 AMWalk 6:30 PM
- Walk7:30 AM → 8:00 AM· 30 min · Mon
- Walk6:30 PM → 7:30 PM· 1 hr · Mon
- Walk7:30 AM → 8:00 AM· 30 min · Tue–Sun
- Walk6:30 PM → 7:30 PM· 1 hr · Tue–Sun
Play
17.5 hours/weekMeditation 4:00 AMChores 8:00 AMCrafts 4:30 PMMeditation 6:00 PM
- Mon4:00 AM → 5:00 AM· 1 hr
- Mon8:00 AM → 8:30 AM· 30 min
- Mon4:30 PM → 5:00 PM· 30 min
- Mon6:00 PM → 6:30 PM· 30 min
- Tue–Sun4:00 AM → 5:00 AM· 1 hr
- Tue–Sun8:00 AM → 8:30 AM· 30 min
- Tue–Sun4:30 PM → 5:00 PM· 30 min
- Tue–Sun6:00 PM → 6:30 PM· 30 min