1. Napoleon Bonaparte Slept in Snatches
Napoleon was famous for insisting that sleep was a waste of time. Instead of resting a full night like most of us, he would take short naps throughout the day and night. His aides often found him dozing off in his chair, then springing back to full energy just minutes later. He believed this polyphasic sleep made him more efficient and gave him the edge in planning battles.
The truth is, his unusual sleep habit probably contributed to his sharp bursts of focus and stamina. Of course, he also burned out quickly and had moments of exhaustion on the battlefield. Still, Napoleon’s catnaps became legendary, almost as famous as his military strategies. It’s a reminder that even world leaders sometimes try to bend human biology to their will.
2. Nikola Tesla and His Pigeon Friends
Nikola Tesla was brilliant but also deeply eccentric. He had a peculiar affection for pigeons, often bringing injured ones into his hotel room to nurse them back to health. One pigeon in particular, a white dove, held a special place in his heart—he said he loved it as a man loves a woman.
Tesla claimed the bird visited him daily and that their bond gave him comfort during his lonely final years. People around him thought it was strange, but to Tesla, the pigeon symbolized companionship and loyalty. His fondness for birds showed a softer side to a man often seen as aloof. It’s one of those quirks that makes his genius feel more human.
3. Salvador Dalí’s Nap Spoon
Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí had a bizarre trick for quick naps. He would sit in a chair holding a spoon loosely over a plate. As soon as he drifted off, the spoon would clatter onto the plate and wake him. He swore this method let him capture the moment between wakefulness and dreams, where his strangest artistic ideas were born.
This odd habit fit perfectly with Dalí’s larger-than-life personality. He was fascinated with the subconscious and loved blurring the line between reality and imagination. The spoon nap became part of his legend, proof that his eccentric art sprang directly from his eccentric routines. It’s almost like he designed his whole life as performance art.
4. Benjamin Franklin’s “Air Baths”
Benjamin Franklin had plenty of unconventional ideas, but one of his strangest was the so-called “air bath.” He believed sitting naked by an open window each morning helped maintain good health. He thought exposure to fresh air cleansed the body and reduced the risk of illness.
Neighbors may have found it odd, but Franklin swore by the practice. He would relax in his birthday suit for up to an hour, reading or writing. At a time when people were suspicious of drafts, Franklin’s habit stood out as downright peculiar. Yet it also shows how forward-thinking he was about health and hygiene.
5. Winston Churchill’s Midday Baths
Winston Churchill lived through some of the most stressful moments of the 20th century, yet he swore by his unusual daily routine. He regularly took long, hot baths in the middle of the day, sometimes even during crucial wartime meetings. He claimed it refreshed his mind and body, giving him clarity to face the heavy decisions of leadership.
Churchill’s aides adapted to the odd schedule, bringing documents into the bathroom so he could dictate from the tub. While many thought it indulgent, he insisted it was essential to his productivity. His steamy soak sessions became almost as much a part of his persona as his cigars and whiskey.
6. Howard Hughes and His Tissue Boxes
The eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes developed severe germophobia later in life. At his most extreme, he wore tissue boxes on his feet like slippers to avoid contamination. He also insisted on using Kleenex to handle objects and often shut himself away in sealed hotel rooms.
To outsiders, his habits seemed irrational, but Hughes was battling crippling obsessive-compulsive disorder. His brilliance as an aviator and businessman was overshadowed by these behaviors. The tissue box slippers remain one of the most bizarre symbols of his decline. It’s a stark reminder that wealth and genius don’t shield anyone from mental health struggles.
7. Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coffee Counting
Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was meticulous to the point of obsession when it came to his morning coffee. He insisted each cup be brewed with exactly 60 beans—no more, no less. He counted them out himself to ensure perfection before sitting down to compose.
It sounds absurd, but to Beethoven, this precise ritual was part of his creative process. The strong coffee fueled his intense bursts of work, helping him produce some of the most iconic music ever written. While others might shrug at bean counts, Beethoven saw order in it. His habit reveals how even small routines can become essential to genius.
8. Catherine the Great’s Ice Cream Indulgence
Catherine the Great of Russia was ahead of her time in many ways, including her love of ice cream. At a time when frozen desserts were rare luxuries, she made it a staple of her royal banquets. She even had special ice cellars built to keep it on hand year-round.
Guests were both amazed and delighted, and the treat became one of the highlights of her court. While her political reforms and expansion of the empire made history, her ice cream obsession gave her a quirky human touch. It’s funny to think of one of Europe’s most powerful rulers planning her menus around dessert.
9. Ernest Hemingway’s Standing Desk
Long before standing desks became trendy, Ernest Hemingway was already writing on his feet. He preferred to stand at a tall shelf, typing or scribbling away while shifting his weight. He claimed it kept his mind alert and helped him write with more energy.
Friends often teased him about it, but Hemingway swore it was essential to his creative flow. Given his reputation for physical toughness, it fits his image perfectly. His standing desk wasn’t just a quirk, it was part of how he tackled both writing and life—with intensity and vigor.
10. Honore de Balzac’s Coffee Binges
French novelist Honoré de Balzac took coffee drinking to extremes. He reportedly consumed as many as 50 cups a day while working on his novels. The caffeine fueled his marathon writing sessions, but also gave him jitters and stomach pains.
Balzac himself admitted his habit was risky, even describing the “terrible, violent excitations” coffee brought. Still, he believed it sharpened his thoughts and allowed him to produce at an incredible pace. His addiction became part of his legend, proving that creativity sometimes comes at a steep personal cost.
11. Charles Dickens and His Compass Bed
Charles Dickens had a peculiar rule about sleep: his bed had to face due north. He believed aligning himself with the Earth’s magnetic field improved his rest and creativity. If he traveled, he even carried a compass to make sure his sleeping position was correct.
To modern ears, it sounds more mystical than practical. But for Dickens, it was as essential as ink and paper. His quirky habit adds another layer to his reputation as a man full of odd routines, from arranging furniture just so to constant walking. It seems even great novelists chase the perfect night’s sleep in unusual ways.
12. Steve Jobs and His Car Parking Spot
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had many quirks, but one of the most famous was his parking habit. He regularly parked in spaces designated for the disabled, simply because he could. He drove a silver Mercedes with no license plate, swapping it out for a new one every six months to avoid registration.
People at Apple became so used to it that they barely questioned the behavior. It became part of his larger reputation as a rebellious, rule-breaking visionary. While frustrating to many, it was also strangely fitting for a man who made a career out of challenging norms. His disregard for parking rules remains one of the most talked-about quirks of his legacy.
13. Albert Einstein’s Sock-Free Style
Albert Einstein was known for his brilliance, but also for his disregard for fashion. One of his most peculiar habits was refusing to wear socks. He argued that they were unnecessary and that his big toe always wore holes through them anyway.
Instead, he went barefoot inside his shoes, whether he was at home or attending formal events. Friends laughed at the odd choice, but Einstein didn’t care—he saw it as a way to simplify life. The habit reflects his larger philosophy: don’t waste energy on trivial matters. For a man solving the mysteries of the universe, socks just didn’t make the cut.