Freud’s Daily Routine

What was Freud’s routine like?

Freud’s routine was meticulously structured, as detailed in Ernest Jones’s biography. Knowing a bit about his daily routine helps us understand how Freud organized his time, faced challenges, and balanced his professional responsibilities with his personal life. His family interactions and dedication to friends clearly show his human aspect and desire for connection with others.

From 1891 to 1938, Freud lived and worked in an apartment located at 19 Berggasse Street in Vienna. He followed a meticulous routine, starting his consultations at exactly eight in the morning after waking up around seven. Even though he sometimes struggled to wake up due to his long hours of work the night before, he revived himself with a cold shower. A barber visited him to trim his beard and hair when necessary. After a quick breakfast and a read of the New Freie Presse newspaper, each patient had exactly 55 minutes for their session, with five-minute intervals between them – a practice he insisted on being rigorously punctual about.

Lunchtime

Lunchtime, at 1:00pm, was sacred for the family, being the only occasion when they all gathered. This meal was particularly important, consisting of soup, meat, cheese, and dessert. Freud especially appreciated the meat, as it had been rare during the First World War.

During lunch, he liked to engage in family matters and stay updated on daily news. However, when guests were present, his silence and introspection resulted in awkward situations.

From 1:00pm to 3:00pm, unless he was very busy, Freud reserved this time for completing minor tasks, such as refilling his cigar supply at the Tabak Trafik shop or delivering proofs to the Deuticke and later Heller editors.

Upon returning home around 3:00pm, he resumed his consultations, which lasted until nine o’clock, dinner time.

When he was very busy, he would work until ten o’clock, meaning twelve or thirteen hours of analysis per day.

Evening

In the evening, Freud could relax better with his family. He enjoyed taking another walk near his residence, often accompanied by his wife, sister-in-law, or later one of his daughters, starting towards Schottenhor and walking along the Ringstrasse, Vienna’s grand tree-lined avenue. Sometimes, they would stop at a café: in the summer, Café Landtmann, in the winter, Café Central, to read a newspaper.

Upon returning home, he immediately returned to his office to focus on his correspondence and the articles he was working on, as well as the challenging task of preparing new editions and proofs of his texts, and also of the journals he edited. He never went to bed before one in the morning.

In addition to this routine, on Wednesdays, he attended regular meetings of the Wednesday Society, where he presented papers and engaged in discussions. On Tuesdays, he attended meetings of the B’nai B’rith Jewish Organization, where he occasionally made presentations.

On the Weekend

Saturday nights were reserved for enjoyable rest, usually playing tarok with friends. He rarely went to the theatre unless it was a special occasion, such as a Shakespeare play or a Mozart opera. Sunday was a day without consultations, reserved for visiting his mother accompanied by one or two family members. Freud also used this day to meet foreign friends connected to psychoanalysis and take part in aesthetic pleasures, such as visiting art galleries with his children. Despite his daily consumption of 20 cigars, Freud never had a preference for alcohol, except when traveling through Italy and enjoying the local wines.

Freud’s main source of income came from his regular therapeutic work. Any additional earnings from isolated consultations were considered a reward, reserved for his favorite distraction: the collection of antiquities. Passionate about antiques, he had a vast collection of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art pieces.

Vacations

Vacations were a significant change of pace, and he longed for moments in the countryside. He spent an average of six weeks enjoying this idyllic lifestyle and often sought more sophisticated pleasures in destinations like Italy, where he travelled numerous times. One of the most striking aspects of his vacations was his passion for mushrooms, especially in discovering them during walks. His interest was not limited to mushrooms but also extended to the study of wildflowers. He wished to teach his children three things: the art of finding mushrooms, the technique of tarok playing, and knowledge of wildflowers.

Move to London

In 1938, Freud and his family moved to London, seeking safety and refuge from the Nazi regime. Despite already facing health challenges, including his battle with jaw cancer, Freud maintained a small number of patients. He consulted with them at his Hampstead home, where he could enjoy the garden and peaceful surroundings

Additionally, Freud included regular medical visits in his routine, under the supervision of his personal physician, Max Schur, who cared for his delicate health. Despite his illness, he remained intellectually active and continued writing, producing important texts such as Moses and Monotheism and An Outline of Psychoanalysis. His home became a place of frequent visits, with colleagues, friends, and admirers seeking his insights and guidance in psychoanalysis.

Through the account of Sigmund Freud’s routine, we are reminded that behind the revolutionary theories and tireless work was an ordinary man with his passions, pleasures, desires, and vulnerabilities.