Franz Schubert, a genius Austrian composer representing 19th century Romantic music and called the King of Lieder (Liederfürst), composed more than 600 great and lyrical songs and symphonies until his young death at the young age of 31. As soon as he opened his eyes every morning, without taking off his glasses, he went straight to the composition desk right next to his bedside and began writing down notes on music paper. In order not to lose sight of the musical unconsciousness that arose even in his half-asleep state, he went to bed without his glasses on. This immediate writing routine, which eliminated all the friction between waking up in the morning and starting work, was what made him an immortal composer.
Today on BuildSelf, we introduce the cognitive scientific principles of the ‘immediate writing routine that completely eliminates the friction between waking up and starting work’ that he adheres to, and a 3-step guide that modern people can easily practice in their daily lives.
Historical & Academic Evidence
This content is based on Otto Erich Deutsch, *Schubert: A Documentary Biography* (1946) & Cognitive Neuroscientific Studies.
1. Analysis of brain science principles that lead to success
Immediately after waking up, the human brain maintains a state of creative Theta waves, before logical cognitive filters and distracting thoughts take over. If, like Schubert, you completely block the preparatory steps between waking up and key creative actions (checking your smartphone, washing your face, tidying your desk, etc.) and make the friction between your actions zero, you can fully lift up the brilliant intuitive ideas latent in the unconsciousness of your brain with your fingertips and pin them on paper.
2. 3-Step Practical Routine for Modern Professionals
Step 1: Environment settings and tool settings
Every night before going to sleep, as soon as you wake up in the morning, place a blank notebook and a ballpoint pen perfectly spread out on the nightstand or desk right next to the bed and complete the startup setup. Finish tidying up the environment.
Step 2: Full sense projection and practice
As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, before getting out of bed or within 60 seconds of opening your eyes, take a notebook and pen by your bedside while never turning on your smartphone.
Step 3: Objective gaze and meta organization
Write down on a blank sheet of paper without any addition or subtraction, completely ignoring logic or spelling, the image of a dream that currently remains in your head, a flashing thought in your sleep, or a clue to a breakthrough in a complex task that needs to be solved today.
3. Behavioral science advice for successful settlement
Be careful, as the moment you check your smartphone notifications or KakaoTalk messages even for just 10 seconds after waking up in the morning, your brain will be engulfed by other people's information stress waves and you will completely lose your unique theta wave unconscious state.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What should I do if I fall asleep again after writing unconscious scraps in the morning? ▼
It's okay. In just two minutes of holding a pen and pouring out your thoughts, the mission to capture theta waves has already been successfully completed. Immediately after recording, if you lightly drink water or stretch to send a physical awakening signal to your brain, sleep will quickly disappear.
What should I do when I can’t think of anything to write right after waking up? ▼
If you can't think of anything, it's enough to break the connection friction between the pen and the brain's motor cells by handwriting an adjective describing a simple state, such as 'I can't remember' or 'I'm sleepy', three times in a row on a blank piece of paper.
