Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics).
1. NO SOCKS. EVER.
Albert Einstein didn’t wear socks was because, in his childhood, it took him just a day or two to wear out a hole in a new sock. And that says something about Albert Einstein’s mind. His thoughts were so significant that any issue – even annoying socks – wasn’t worth the distraction. He couldn’t stand it, so socks were immediately banned for life.
2. PLAYING THE VIOLIN.
At first, young Einstein couldn’t stand it, but when he was 13, he heard Mozart for the first time and fell in love with it. After that, he never stopped playing the violin again. Despite his first reaction, Einstein was curious enough to change his mind about violin playing.
3. SLEEPING 10 HOURS A DAY.
Despite sleeping for 10 hours at night, Einstein didn’t restrict himself from having naps either.
While he drifted off, he held a metal spoon in his hand and had a metal plate lying on the floor right underneath the spoon. When he fell asleep, he would drop the spoon on the plate, and the resulting sound was enough to wake him up immediately.
4. DAILY WALKS.
Einstein wasn’t a person with a passion for exercise and a healthy lifestyle. His walks had nothing to do with benefiting his health. The thing is, while we walk, we’re not busy; our mind is left to itself. Plus, it’s partially concentrated on the sole process of walking. That’s why a long enough walk can put you in a sort of trance. It’ll allow you to relax and think about things differently.
This is precisely what Einstein was looking for – to switch his way of thinking, to re-set his mind.
Einstein used three simple principles to be productive:
- He had a daily ritual and schedule.
- He lived a minimalist lifestyle, and he focused on his most important work.
Some of Einstein’s productivity methods are still used today since they are highly effective. At Asian Efficiency, several of our core concepts closely align with Einstein’s daily rituals and practices:
- to live a minimalist luxury lifestyle
- to have a morning ritual
- to use thePomodoro Technique
Although most of us will never develop a new theory, or win a Nobel Prize, using these three tips can help us become more effective in our own lives.
1. The Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle
Living a minimalist life doesn’t mean going without. We’ve discussed this before on the blog as theminimalist luxury lifestyle. Basically, what would you prefer? A closet full of low-quality clothing or a wardrobe comprised of fewer but more durable, high-quality items? The idea is to have fewer but better items.
Albert Einstein embraced minimalism in his lifestyle. He gave most of his Nobel prize money to his wife. He rarely wore socks or suspenders. He couch surfed when he traveled. When he was scheduled to visit a group of prominent scientists, he emerged from the third-class train car to greet them. I don’t know if I could do it like that (I like my luxury hotel stays and first-class seats anytime I can afford them).
Like everyone else, we all have special things that we put no price limit on. So what did Einsteinsplurge on? Good cigars, coffee, and musical instruments.
Einstein believed it was more important to focus on the things that mattered, whether playing violin with a group of other musicians or drinking a gourmet cup of coffee. He could have embraced a much more luxurious lifestyle, but he chose not to (and I respect that).
When we focus on acquiring possessions that have true value for us, we may end up with fewer possessions and less clutter. Without the mess of objects that physically and mentally block us from our goals, we can free our minds to focus on creating more success for ourselves and others around us.
The minimalist luxury lifestyle is:
- owning fewer things
- owning things of good quality
- valuing our possessions and freeing our time for other pursuits
- de-cluttering our lives to free our mental space
What we can learn from Einstein is how minimalism helped him stay focused on his passions and commune with other people, instead of things. He made a conscious choice to own possessions that had exceptional value.
2. Einstein’s Daily Ritual
By the time Albert Einstein was teaching at Princeton, he was one of the most recognized faces of the 20th century. Rarely could he walk the streets without being approached by the public. He even devised a simple way to explain his theory of relativity to curious people on the street!
Einstein’sdaily walk was sacred to him because it was a component of adaily ritual.
There are endless numbers of articles online about rituals and how important they are for productivity. Entire books have been written detailing the daily routines of celebrities and public figures. The reason why this dialogue continues to happen is that routineswork.
Albert Einstein had a simple, daily ritual:
- breakfast
- walk or drive to work
- work
- lunch
- tea time
- nap
- more work
- dinner
As you can see, there’s nothing strenuous or extraordinary about this schedule. Many people may have this routine without even realizing it. With routine, it isn’t always about the components. What’s important is that Albert Einstein could wake up in the morning knowing what the structure of his day would be like.
Some people are not creatures of habit and establishing a daily ritual takes time and practice. For Einstein, I think his need for schedule and ritual was tied to the constant instability of the world around him. Routine allowed him the time and headspace to tackle the scientific concepts that swirled around him.
At Asian Efficiency we talk about the importance of a morning ritual all the time. If you’re new to working on being more productive, this is a good practice to start with. Like Einstein, you probably already have certain things you do every morning, such as walking the dog, eating a certain cereal, meditation, or exercise. We even have a mini-course on this called theMorning Ritual Starter Kitthat has a template you can download and use right away.
By creating a dedicated time frame to these tasks and consolidating them, you’ve created a morning ritual for yourself. Let’s quickly review what a morning ritual is:
- a series of steps that form a sequence to help you go from waking up to being ready for work
- a daily practice that sets the right tone for your day
- this can be movement, meditation, meals, or other practices
Looking at Albert Einstein’s daily routine helps us understand that we can create order in our life by following a basic schedule. As you continue to experience success with a morning ritual, you can expand this to implement more daily rituals. As we learned from Einstein’s messy desk, he chose efficiency concepts that worked and ignored others that didn’t. This is a good reminder for people who are intimidated by trying new productivity concepts.
3. The Pomodoro Technique
In 1915, Einstein was in a state of acute anxiety. After three years of work on his new concept of gravity, he realized the mathematical equations were flawed. He was due to give four lectures on his theory that November to Berlin’s Prussian Academy of Sciences. Also, a colleague who had attended Einstein’s lectures was attempting to present the same concept of gravity with his equations.
Einstein was in a race against time and at risk of losing it all. But he did what he always did in situations like this. He focused on the task at hand and worked until it was complete.
For months, Einstein focused on nothing else but the equations that would explain his concept of gravity. He worked in almost total isolation. The punishing work schedule caused his hair to turn white and caused considerable strain on his marriage.
This is an extreme example, but it speaks to Einstein’s ability and willingness to concentrate on one important task and work on the task to completion. Luckily, most of us don’t have to isolate ourselves and work for months on end to complete our work. But we can take away from this example of how staying on track with one task helps us be more Asian Efficient.
The Pomodoro Technique is a method that helps us focus on a task and eliminate distractions. This is similar to the “Einstein principle.” It’s the idea that we are most productive when we focus on a minimal number of projects to which we can devote a large amount of attention. With the Pomodoro Technique, a timer is used to create work blocks where we focus solely on the task at hand.
This may seem strange in a world where multitasking is normal (but really shouldn’t be), depending on your personality and work style. Einstein, in 1915, was in a race to change the way the scientific community would view the world, and his laser focus on finishing his theory is how he made it happen.
How can you stop multitasking and start applying the Pomodoro Technique to your daily life?
- Choose the task that has the most important for you.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Work until the timer rings.
- Take a break to recharge yourself.
Notice I mention choosing the task of most importance—or, as we also like to call it,Eating Your Frog. Instead of trying to do many things, we can narrow our focus by focusing on our primary goals, whether that be in our work, personal, or academic life. Einstein became known for his wild hair, but he let it grow long for a reason; he could avoid the barbershop and spend more time on his work.
The Pomodoro Technique is great for knowledge workers, but it can work for things like meditation as well. By setting the timer first thing in the morning, you can eliminate distractions and focus better. This is also a great way to see what works as part of your morning ritual.
Einstein was also known for taking time simply to think. Along with his laser focus on his work, he enjoyed just looking out a window and letting his mind wander. Want to daydream? Why not? Set the timer and spend some time observing the birds and trees outside your window. This time of reflection was critical to Einstein, as he keenly understood that his ideas had extraordinary value.
Integrating productivity rituals into our daily lives is a process, and there will be stops and starts since this is ultimately a personal journey. What makes Einstein so relatable to us is his ability to try something, fail, and then try something else. When we look at the rituals of people like Einstein, we can learn how to become more productive and successful in our daily lives. Messy desk included.
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FAQs
What was the daily routine of Einstein? ›
Einstein was known to sleep for a full 10 hours each night, but he also took naps throughout the day to recharge his batteries. In the afternoons, Einstein spent his time at home, receiving visitors and working on any papers or projects that needed his attention.
How many hours did Albert Einstein study a day? ›Albert Einstein worked 10 hours a day, six days a week for years. He demonstrated a tremendous ability to focus on the work for extended periods and apply himself to big thinking. Before he became a famous professor, he held a job in a Swiss patent office in Bern.
Did Einstein use Pomodoro technique? ›While studying, Einstein followed Pomodoro technique. The basic idea behind this technique is that rather than studying for hours, it is better to study in intervals and take a short break in between them. This way, we could again focus at the task in hand with a fresh perspective every single time.
What is the best daily routine? ›- Get a good night's sleep.
- Avoid the snooze button.
- Give yourself enough time to get to work.
- Drink a full glass of water.
- Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.
- Prepare a healthy breakfast.
- Take advantage of self care.
- Fit in a quick workout.
In the resulting book, Einstein at Home, Waldow claims, "Herr Professor always ate fried eggs, at least two," almost every morning. According to her, he loved mushrooms as well as honey.
What was a routine of genius? ›A daily walk.
For many, a regular daily walk was essential to brain functioning. Soren Kierkegaard found his constitutionals so inspiring that he would often rush back to his desk and resume writing, still wearing his hat and carrying his walking stick or umbrella.
Using the Pomodoro Technique for ADHD may be helpful because it structures tasks into short bursts of focus time. It also sets a time limit for work, which can help prevent hyperfocus on a specific task for too long.
How did Einstein stay focused? ›Einstein believed that by focusing on things which really mattered, he could declutter his mind and put it to better use (which he did). The key takeaway is that with minimalism, Einstein was able to focus his efforts on only a few things and made a conscious choice to ignore everything else which was not significant.
Is pomodoro used for ADHD? ›Yes, it can work quite well for people with ADHD. They can help to limit distractions, increase motivation, build determination, and improve executive function. The Pomodoro technique is a great way to complete tasks and help your child do the same. By setting a timer, you can stay on task and avoid procrastinating.
What is Elon Musk's daily routine? ›Elon Musk's daily routine can be summed up as work, eat, sleep, with work taking up a bulk of that time. With a bedtime of around 1am, Musk typically wakes up at 7am, getting 6 to 6.5 hours of sleep, which, he discovered over the years is his sweet spot. “Sleep is really great.
What are the 10 good habits at morning? ›
- Wake Up Early. The majority of successful people wake up early and at the same time every day. ...
- Set Daily Goals. ...
- Always Eat Breakfast. ...
- Read Motivational Quotes. ...
- Be Flexible. ...
- Incorporate Motivational Practices. ...
- Track Expenses. ...
- Drink Cold Water with Lemon.
Go for a brisk walk around your neighborhood, or get some sun, fresh air, and exercise at a nearby park or beach. Journal or write morning pages, which involves penning a stream of consciousness in your journal and filling three pages every morning, to help you reflect, analyze, and ideate.
What is the Einstein 2 hour rule? ›Some of the most famous intellectuals and scientists spent time doing nothing but thinking. The author decided to implement a two-hour rule: just thinking with no distractions for two hours a week. It's helped solve problems and generate new ideas and solutions.
What was Einstein's IQ level? ›His performance beats those of physicists Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein, who were both estimated to have IQs around 160.
How much sleep did Einstein get a year? ›Einstein Slept Only 3 Hours a Year.
What is Einstein favorite food? ›cooked Elsa Einstein's favorite dish – lentil soup and sausages – [… ]” “He ate his lentil soup with sausage in peace.” “Lunch at Princeton was – as already in Germany – the main meal of the day for Einstein, where he usually enjoyed Italian food, a habit from his childhood which he had spent with his parents in Milan.
What was Einstein's favorite dessert? ›Sticky Orange Cakes (Einstein's Favorite)
What do geniuses eat for breakfast? ›In fact, an egg-based breakfast turns out to be a common factor among many geniuses and high-achiever types. Dancer/choreographer Twyla Tharp starts the day with three boiled egg whites and coffee. Playwright Samuel Beckett ate scrambled eggs. Leo Tolstoy favored two eggs, hard-boiled.
What time did Beethoven go to bed? ›Ludwig van Beethoven
Composer Beethoven had a prolific output, a complex character, various health conditions and a surprisingly ordinary 10pm to 6am sleep schedule.
A genius is defined as a person who has a remarkable intellectual or creative function, or other natural ability. There are certain historical and public figures that are acknowledged as geniuses, including Albert Einstein, who contributed greatly to the field of physics.
How do geniuses live their lives? ›
They are independent thinkers.
Geniuses don't see the world through the same lens as the rest of society. They are not always accepting of the way things are. They question rules and challenge authority in order to explore all sides of a situation.
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management strategy that can be used by students with ADHD to improve focus and productivity. The technique involves breaking down work into 25-minute intervals, with five-minute breaks in between.
What is the timer trick for ADHD? ›With the traditional Pomodoro Technique, you set a timer for 25 minutes, focus on one task and work on it until time's up. Then you reward yourself with a small break, usually around five minutes.
How can I be productive like Einstein? ›We are most productive when we focus on a very small number of projects on which we can devote a large amount of attention. Achievements worth achieving require hard work. There is no shortcut. ... Effort, sustained over a long amount of time, is required.
How did Einstein learn so much? ›Einstein learned physics, not by dutifully attending classes, but by obsessively playing with the ideas and equations on his own.
What did Einstein do to relax? ›Staring up at the sky, hiking above the mountain, and walking across the sea are some tranquilizing practices. He once said, “I have no special talents.
Is there anything better than the Pomodoro Technique? ›With the Flowtime technique, you're still breaking your tasks into pieces and rewarding yourself with breaks when you need them just like in Pomodoro. But because there's no timer, Flowtime is a great alternative for those who need more time to become engaged and focused.
What is body doubling for ADHD? ›What Nordmeyer does to get through those tougher tasks is sometimes known as “body doubling,” a productivity and self-help strategy that involves working with another person around to help improve motivation and focus.
What is reverse Pomodoro? ›Whereas the Pomodoro Technique has a pattern of focusing for 25 minutes on your task against a 5 minute break, the Reverse Pomodoro flips it for a 5 minute task start and a 25 minute break.
What is Elon Musk 5 minute rule? ›By using the time blocking method, Musk intentionally plans his day out in five-minute increments or 'time blocks. ' Each time block is assigned to a specific task or activity. For example, Musk would use the time blocking method when responding to overdue emails, eating meals, or timing work meetings.
What is Mark Zuckerberg's daily routine? ›
He wakes up at about 8 am, and not surprisingly, he immediately checks his Facebook account, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. After he's caught up on his socials, he might do a workout (he usually works out three days a week).
What is Elon Musk's IQ? ›FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) When did Elon Musk take an IQ test? The Tesla CEO is estimated to have an IQ score of around 155.
What are the healthiest daily habits? ›- Have Breakfast. 1/12. It's important for a bunch of reasons. ...
- Plan Your Meals. 2/12. It'll help you save time and money in the long run. ...
- Drink Plenty of Water. 3/12. ...
- Take an Exercise Break. 4/12. ...
- Go Offline. 5/12. ...
- Learn Something New. 6/12. ...
- Don't Smoke. 7/12. ...
- Sleep Well. 8/12.
It's said that he works out for about an hour each morning. After exercising, he catches up on the latest news by reading newspapers like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Economist. While he skims through much of the news, he primarily focuses on topics around health.
What should I do first thing in the morning? ›- Plan ahead! ...
- Resist the snooze. ...
- Drink water. ...
- Meditate. ...
- Exercise. ...
- Get outside in the sun. ...
- Make coffee (at home) ...
- Eat breakfast.
They get up early
Almost without exception, successful people start their day early. Many say they get up between 5 am and 6 am. Rising early is particularly great for those who work from home or have small children, because they can accomplish work tasks without interruption.
Drinking a cup of coffee/tea.
Sitting in silence and enjoying a cup of coffee or tea is a nice easy, relaxing way to begin a morning ritual. Drinking coffee in the morning helps to jumpstart your day and having this in quiet peace sounds so luxurious! It can be as simple as that.
The idea behind the 4 AM morning routine is to prioritize your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health every morning before you are required to take on the challenges from the day. Honestly, this could mean waking up just 30 min before you normally do.
What was Einstein's greatest obsession? ›In fact, Einstein's main obsession from 1905 to 1911 was quantum theory, as exemplified by his 1908 statement, “This quantum question is so extraordinarily important and difficult that everybody should work on it.”
What did Einstein do at 26? ›26-year-old Albert Einstein formulated the two postulates of special relativity on 30 June 1905. The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference.
What is Bill Gates IQ? ›
The average IQ varies from country to country, with the US standing at 98. Anything above 130 is high. Here are some of the glimpses of genius that attest to Bill Gates' high IQ, even to the point of being a 160 score.
Who has 600 IQ? ›Marilyn vos Savant - Wikipedia.