Bruce Lee was a martial arts legend and a master of time management and productivity. His daily routine was crucial to his prodigious skills and extended to his life philosophy. It was a factor in his becoming one of the most influential martial artists ever.
Here's how a typically harmonious day of training, learning, teaching, and family time flowed for Little Dragon.
Inside a day in the life of Bruce Lee
Key takeaways
- Get a good night’s sleep. Bruce believed in the restorative powers of sleep and typically got about eight hours a night.
- Make time for meditation. Bruce used jogging to meditate in the morning.
- Balance work with family and personal time. Bruce allotted family time and played with his kids in the early evening.
- Prioritize personal development. Bruce dedicated time to physical, mental, and spiritual growth in his daily life.
Mornings
Extracted from brucelee.com, we learn that Bruce Lee was a master of his craft and a thinker. This quote from him encapsulates his life philosophy. “Art calls for complete mastery of techniques, developed by reflection within the soul.”
Bruce was a relatively early riser, and after springing out of bed at 7 a.m. every morning, he did his stretching exercises and used his jogging time to meditate. Next on the agenda was breakfast and quality time with his children. Rather than work a full eight-hour day flat out, he concentrated his martial art training efforts into a few hours. It was a regular part of his routine to teach one or more students a private lesson before noon.
Afternoons
The martial arts guru had no set time for the midday meal and would have lunch between noon and 4 p.m. Teaching and writing were two of his passions, and he indulged them in the afternoon, followed by his second workout of the day with an hour and a half of self-training.
Evenings
Bruce was a devoted family man, and the early evening would see him dedicate time to his wife and children. From 6 p.m. on, he would have dinner and spend time with his students for extra training or with friends.
Wednesday night was dedicated to a group comprising mainly students who would descend on his home for extra instruction, followed by a communal dinner punctuated with philosophical discussions.
He was never one to skimp on sleep, believing in its restorative powers, and he got his eight hours a night.
