Haruki Murakami It is not only one of the most read Japanese writers in the world. It also became, over the years, an unexpected reference on habits, discipline and well-being. To the 77 yearsthe author of Tokio Blues y Kafka on the shore maintains a strict daily routine that combines writing, running and swimming.
Murakami has maintained an almost military method for decades. The writer explained in different interviews that, when he is working on a novel, he gets up at four in the morning, writes for five to six hours and then dedicates the afternoon to physical exercise. “I run ten kilometers or swim 1,500 meters (or both)«, he said in an interview with The Paris Review.
For the Japanese author, sport is not an accessory or a secondary hobby. As he explained, running taught him endurance, patience and economy of effort, three concepts that he later transferred directly to writing. “I learned most of what I know about writing by running every day.”Murakami stated.
What is Murakami’s routine like?
Haruki Murakami believes that repetition and daily habits are essential to sustain creativity in the long term. in his book What do I talk about when I talk about writing?the author explains that a long novel needs mental and physical stability, so he tries to maintain fixed schedules and specific writing objectives.
The writer maintains that Even on bad days he tries to meet a minimum work quota. He believes that inspiration comes more easily when there is a daily structure to sustain it.
Among the habits that Murakami has maintained for years, several constantly repeated customs appear:
- Get up before dawn.
- Write for several hours straight.
- Run or swim every day.
- Listen to music and read.
- Go to bed early to maintain physical and mental rhythm.
What science says about exercise and creativity
The relationship between physical activity and mental performance has scientific support. Various studies in neuroscience show that Aerobic exercise promotes blood circulation and improves oxygenation of the brainwhich can positively impact concentration, memory and organization of ideas.
In Murakami’s case, running also works as mental training. The writer compares writing a novel to a marathonsince both require sustaining the effort for a long time, tolerating moments of fatigue and maintaining a stable pace without exhausting yourself too quickly.
Daily discipline is also related to concept of «flow» or flujo, popularized by the psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. That state describes moments of deep concentration in which a person becomes completely absorbed in an activity. Murakami maintains that routine helps precisely create the conditions to achieve that level of focus.
Unlike the romantic idea of the messy artist, the Japanese writer believes that creativity needs structure. For him, talent alone is not enough if there is no routine capable of sustaining it for years.
That philosophy also explains why Murakami made running a central part of his life.. What began as a way to take care of the body ended up becoming a tool to think, write and organize the mind.
