I have recently been reading ‘Daily Rituals’ by Mason Currey. He has collected together short accounts of the daily rituals of some well-known creative people, past and present. His collection includes writers, philosophers, artists and composers. Most are male and white. It makes interesting reading and I thought I would distil my observations from it for you. I’m not sure how, if at all, it relates to positive psychology but perhaps you will be able to find a connection?
1. Most have strict routines, a few more of a binge pattern
2. Most are early risers, some are not
3. Not a few get up and work for a few hours during the night, dividing their daily sleep into two distinct segments
4.Almost all emphasis the power of graft and routine over muses and inspiration
5. Most are men
6. A high proportion seem to have someone to ‘do’ for them. Particularly preparing food. Many are woken at ungodly hours with a cup of something by someone who regularly gets up even earlier to perform this service.
7. An alarming number use stimulants ranging from excessive amounts of coffee to amphetamines
8. A high number include an hour or more’s walk in their daily routine
9. Most have a daily goal of input (number of hours sat at desk) or output (number of words or pages)
10. Almost all had a quiet space, separate from the living space
11. Despite living the life of a monk, many had friends willing to fit into the two hours a day put aside for such frivoliites
12. Many describe the agony and the estascy of the creative life. Most experience the creative process as hard, for a few it seemed not so.
13. Some induced health problems through their dedication to the creative life
14. Few are satisfied with what they achieve
What I take from this is.
· All books are written one word at a time
· That a little done every day adds up
· Habits of work trump moments of inspiration
· That no one ever said the creative life was easy
And that the ability to organise a life free from alarums, anxieties, disruptions and the general mess of the human condition helps createconditions conducive to concerted concentration. Oh and that having someone to ‘do’ all the boring bits of maintaining body and soul (shopping, cooking, cleaning etc.) helps create time.
Choices must be made and habits formed.
So what’s your excuse?
Love to hear your views on positive psychology and creativity, organisational life and creativity, modern life and creativity, gender and creativity.
What would you advice a young person keen to engage on the life creative?