Misc
Visualizing the Daily Routines of Famous Creative People
Visualizing the Daily Routines of Famous Creative People
Creative people have a reputation for circumventing convention.
After all, if creatives always did things the same way as everyone else, how could they ever produce anything original and truly unique?
While it’s not always easy to do things differently, the most famous creative people throughout history have almost always followed their own paths. The end result, thankfully for us, is a wealth of original art that has served to inspire generation upon generation.
Time Well Spent
Today’s chart comes to us from Podio and it breaks down the daily routines of famous creative people, such as Pablo Picasso, Mozart, Maya Angelou, or Benjamin Franklin.
We highly recommend the interactive version which allows you to highlight segments of the chart to see more specific details on the routines of each creative person.
It’s also worth noting that the routines listed don’t necessarily represent the exact everyday activities for the listed creatives – instead, they are representations of what’s been recorded in diaries, journals, letters, or other literature by these greats themselves.
Finally, most of the data comes from the book Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey.
Unconventional Habits of Creative Geniuses
Here are some of the creatives that had some of the most unusual and eccentric routines:
Ludwig van Beethoven
The famous German composer and pianist was a coffee addict, and would count exactly 60 beans for each cup of joe he consumed.
Franz Kafka
The novelist would have strong bouts of insomnia and often hallucinated. This condition shaped his creative process, and he stated in his journal that he only knew the type of writing in which “fear [kept him] from sleeping”.
Honoré de Balzac
The French novelist and playwright “[went] to bed at six or seven in the evening, like the chickens” and started working just after midnight. When he worked, he wore “Moroccan slippers” and a “notorious white monkish robe with a belt of Venetian gold”. In his defense, with this type of routine, he was able to write 85 novels in 20 years.
W.H. Auden
The English-American poet took Benzedrine – an amphetamine – every morning for 20 years as a systematic part of his routine and creative process. He balanced its use with the barbiturate Seconal, for when he wanted to sleep. He called amphetamines a “labor-saving device” that gave direct energy to his work.
Victor Hugo
The French poet, novelist, and dramatist, best known for penning Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, had very busy and eclectic days.
His breakfast would include coffee and two raw eggs, and after working for a few hours in the morning, he would take an ice bath on the roof. In the afternoon, he would try to fit in a quick visit with his barber, a date with his mistress, and also some strenuous exercise. In the evening, he would write some more, and then play cards and go out with friends.
The Reputation Lives On
Rightfully or wrongfully deserved, the reputation of creative geniuses for doing things differently is something that will likely continue to live on – and the rest of the world will likely pass judgement so long as they continue to receive the fruits of their labors.
Maps
Mapped: The World’s Minority Indigenous Peoples
This map by shows the population distribution of the roughly 476 million minority Indigenous groups around the world.

Mapped: The World’s Minority Indigenous Peoples
Humanity has spread to almost every corner of Earth, and while some peoples have continued to move, others have grown roots in one region.
Generally the term indigenous peoples refers to social or cultural groups with strong ancestral ties to their land of origin. Many times these are tied to ethnicity and still live in their land of origin, but some have been displaced, diluted, or become minorities in their lands.
This map by Bhabna Banerjee uses data from the Indigenous World 2022 report to show the population distribution of the roughly 476 million minority Indigenous groups around the world. When 2022 data was unavailable, the latest available data was used.
Methodology: Indigenous vs. Minority Indigenous
Before diving in, it’s important to note that this map looks at minority Indigenous peoples as defined by the United Nations. This refers to groups of people who are not in a dominant position in their respective countries, or have a history of oppression or displacement by settlers.
Because of this, ethnic groups like the Han people in China, the Turks in Turkey, or the Scots in Scotland were not included in the dataset.
On the flip side, groups like Greenland’s Inuit were included, because of their long history of colonial control as well as Danish influence.
Indigenous Minority Populations Worldwide
Of all the countries included in the report, China has the highest number of minority Indigenous, with an estimated population of 125.3 million.
It’s worth noting that the Chinese government does not officially acknowledge the existence of Indigenous peoples. However, they do recognize 55 different ethnic minority groups across the nation, including the Zhuang, Mongolians, and the Hui.
Country | Minority Indigenous Population | Year of Data |
---|---|---|
China | 125,332,335 | 2022 |
India | 104,000,000 | 2022 |
Indonesia | 60,000,000 | 2022 |
Pakistan | 35,000,000 | 2010 |
Mexico | 16,933,283 | 2022 |
Ethiopia | 16,500,000 | 2022 |
Myanmmar | 14,400,000 | 2010 |
Vietnam | 14,100,000 | 2022 |
Algeria | 12,000,000 | 2022 |
Nepal | 10,872,000 | 2022 |
Morocoo | 10,000,000 | 2022 |
Phillippines | 10,000,000 | 2022 |
Kenya | 9,650,000 | 2021 |
Bolivia | 7,000,000 | 2013 |
United States | 6,600,000 | 2022 |
Guatemala | 6,500,000 | 2022 |
Thailand | 6,100,000 | 2022 |
Malaysia | 4,683,000 | 2022 |
Peru | 4,000,000 | 2022 |
Laos | 3,500,000 | 2022 |
Niger | 2,690,000 | 2022 |
Namibia | 2,678,191 | 2022 |
Chile | 2,185,792 | 2022 |
Colombia | 1,905,617 | 2022 |
Canada | 1,673,785 | 2022 |
Iran | 1,617,000 | 2021 |
Bangladesh | 1,586,141 | 2022 |
Japan | 1,400,000 | 2021 |
Mali | 1,200,000 | 2016 |
Uganda | 1,138,239 | 2022 |
Ecuador | 1,100,000 | 2022 |
Cameroon | 1,044,300 | 2022 |
Libya | 1,000,000 | 2022 |
Tunisia | 1,000,000 | 2022 |
Argentina | 955,032 | 2022 |
Brazil | 896,900 | 2022 |
Venzuela | 896,000 | 2022 |
Australia | 881,600 | 2022 |
New Zealand | 775,500 | 2022 |
DRC | 700,000 | 2022 |
Nicaragua | 612,000 | 2022 |
SouthAfrica | 590,000 | 2022 |
Taiwan | 580,758 | 2022 |
Tanzania | 524,246 | 2022 |
Panama | 417,559 | 2022 |
Israel | 300,000 | 2022 |
Russia | 260,000 | 2022 |
Cambodia | 250,000 | 2022 |
French Polynesia | 222,400 | 2022 |
Paraguay | 122,461 | 2022 |
Costa Rica | 104,143 | 2022 |
Guyana | 78,500 | 2022 |
Burundi | 78,071 | 2022 |
Iraq | 78,000 | 2007 |
Botswana | 73,100 | 2022 |
Greenland | 56,523 | 2022 |
Norway | 50,000 | 2021 |
Rep. of Congo | 43,378 | 2022 |
CAR | 39,299 | 2022 |
Jordan | 27,000 | 2021 |
Rwanda | 25,000 | 2022 |
Angola | 24,300 | 2022 |
Suriname | 20,344 | 2022 |
Sweden | 20,000 | 2021 |
Gabon | 16,162 | 2020 |
French Guiana | 10,000 | 2022 |
Finland | 8000 | 2021 |
Zimbabwe | 4533 | 2022 |
Sri Lanka | 1229 | 2012 |
After China, India has the second largest Indigenous populations, with over 700 officially recognized ethnic groups. Many of these ethnic minorities are concentrated in the north-eastern region of India, from Rajasthan to West Bengal.
While different countries and territories have varying numbers of Indigenous peoples, one thing remains consistent across the board—on average, the world’s minority Indigenous populations typically face greater economic and social challenges than their non-Indigenous (or non-minority) counterparts.
Disadvantages Faced by Indigenous Peoples
Research by the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) found that, while minority Indigenous peoples make up only 6% of the world’s total population, they account for nearly 20% of the world’s extreme poor.
In addition, Indigenous peoples also have much lower average life expectancies than non-Indigenous people, according to a report by the United Nations.
Some countries and governments around the world are starting to implement laws and policies to support and recognize Indigenous communities, but there’s still work to be done.
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