Deep work sessions first thing in the morning | Andrew Huberman and Lex Fridman

Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: • Andrew Huberman: Neuro...
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[@MrEvilyogurt]

The book deep work by Cal Newport was amazing read

[@andrewwoodward8563]

I'm so glad Lex said that he's been living 28 hour days. I've always been like this and I've NEVER heard anyone else talk about it; it's like I was meant to be born on a planet with a 28 or 30 hour day cycle.

[@startupbible4467]

It wasn’t

[@copyninja8756]

@@startupbible4467 was amazing

[@Nutle159]

@@andrewwoodward8563 Are there any good reads about the 28-30 hour days? I'm sure there's more of us, would be interesting to learn more

[@Iron_Willed]

Boring though

[@beoptimal8650]

During my 10 years of researching nutrition, fitness, breathwork, meditation and mindset...apart maybe only from a grueling boxing session, making sure that in the first 1 hour of the day I don't touch social media and focus on some sort of meditation/breathwork and a cold shower or even just writing, I've found to be THE BEST thing you can do for well-being.

[@tyranmcgrath6871]

Does this count as social mediA?

[@beoptimal8650]

@@tyranmcgrath6871 yes it does, go outside, walk in the sun, or just walk, or just watch the sky and sun is best. Don't do anything.

[@gensunasumus101]

@@beoptimal8650 not even listen to an audiobook or do any work on my business?

[@beoptimal8650]

@@gensunasumus101 if you really love your business then yes, but get some sunlight for at least 10minutes everything else is not as important.

[@gensunasumus101]

@@beoptimal8650, thanks. Is an audiobook OK in the first hour?

[@GM-yb5yg]

Lex is so sleep deprived and caught up in abstractions that he has mystical experiences after a good nights sleep.

[@Just_City]

LMaoooo XDDd

[@oj1997ss]

Yeah he definitely has lower IQ

[@itsabeautifuIday]

@@oj1997ss no u

[@JustinGarfield1]

@@oj1997ss how does he have that? Do you know who he is?

[@2007Club]

Lollll

[@lazenbytim]

Exactly why you shouldn't check your email and devices first thing in the morning, otherwise you immediately get dragged into someone else's shit.

[@jj6656]

100%

[@cocoarecords]

lmao

[@simonhagos]

Amen.

[@crown_420]

Agreed

[@cameronnovak6056]

I totally agree and the best i feel is when I go for a walk when i first wake up and see the sky instead of my phone

[@Jaifreeman]

Absolutely! Not starting the day with your phone makes a big difference. Would love to create the habit to start my day with a walk.

[@hunterholistichealth]

I did that this morning and I agree.

[@cameronnovak6056]

@@broganjosh4729 i dont walk my dog but I've got a new rule that I need to seee the sky before I look at a screen. It's really nice

[@alvareo92]

Makes sense, they’re both light sources after all! It’s better to look at the one that is the most alive, as the thing to start your eyes’ day :)

[@daneilpatro2776]

Will do so starting tomorrow

[@THEaiGAI]

when he just said 'someone is the conductor of your thoughts' just made me tear a bit.. don't know why I immediately felt the urge to share this with you

[@mikehunt4797]

Cause it's true most people are so unaware of how programmed they are.

[@lethargic_cow]

Cause it's true and hits to the core. You're not alone though. These tech giants spend billions to make us hooked. At least you're now aware of it.

[@hassanali-yi4bu]

Gayy

[@THEaiGAI]

@@hassanali-yi4bu what is ?

[@blim2020]

Jim Kwik had spoken about this in a different way. He said upon waking, be proactive, not reactive. An analogy he uses is thermostat vs thermometer. If you have things you want to get done and/or goals set, work on them in the morning. Do not look at your phone first thing in the morning.

[@raymondotoole2600]

I’d say don’t look at social media. If people want to use KZbin in the morning for a jog or whatever then that’s fine !. I tend to delete social media platforms and reopen once a week on Sunday morning as it’s my rest day

[@arili-eo7vw]

Lex I love your podcasts. You should know that you give me a ton of motivation everyday. Thank you

[@glenneric1]

I agree about the morning being the best time to think. The brain seems to act like a muscle that gets tired over the course of a day. I try to think my most complex thoughts and lay out my plans for the day in the morning; then stick to them during the day. By the end I'm in a fog and just want some simple entertainment.

[@utsabbhanja0193]

It's called 'decision fatigue' . Same situation for me as well

[@tommybinson]

Yes, getting started on tasks early, squeezing the most from the morning is vital to productivity.

[@FallLineJP]

Me: watching this video first thing in the morning..

[@MyPodcastFamily]

So interesting, I never really thought of why Im most productive in the mornings! Thx Lex and Andrew!

[@florinburian7291]

Those moments feel close to how a symphonic conductor is expressing his will - transposed to ideas and the implementation, employment of imagination

[@53adonis]

It seems to me these magic moments between sleep and totally awake allow me to tap into wellsprings of thoughts and images which generally carry either personal or cosmic messages or imagery or both. I’ve learned to get a pen into my hand as soon as I can and let it stream onto paper. Or sometimes I sort of fall into a reverie watching it work together in my mind’s eye. Usually is melts like fog though, if I don’t get it written or recorded :D

[@winstonthomas4576]

I have little kids and it’s hard to hit deep work. I have to plan all my work in my head or on paper, then I attack the work the instant my kids take a nap of go to sleep in the evening. I have to plan it and visualize it in my head, then attack it when I get the chance. I can get serious work done in 30 mins when I do that instead of sitting down and bullshitting for a hour first. That was technique helped me to write and illustrate two kids books in a 4 weeks period.

[@hsen.a]

Wow!

[@eaf888]

THANK YOU! prepping my schedule now

[@lliw4934]

I feel so privileged for having access to this kind of information.

[@alimurtaza31]

I feel like all the times I’ve surprised myself by being super productive right after waking up (usually because I’ve overslept, and need to catch up) have just been explained in a way that I should be able to take advantage of. I should, but likely won’t.

[@noreply_saopaulo]

Had a moment of clarity one time after delaying sleep by 8 hours, then sleeping normally and waking up. Pure calmness and focus. But I tried to systematize it and it goes away.

[@christianpalmer5471]

I know exactly what you mean! Reminds me of Bruce Lee quote on water. But only when we are empty and formless do we take our true forms. The older I get I realize the personality over rides our abilities in a million different ways.

[@thelonespeaker]

I try to systematize everything and everything goes away, please send help

[@rajdeepchakraborty9533]

@@thelonespeaker One thing that has helped me is getting myself out of my own way. Trying to do everything the 'right' way feels like overoptimizing every possible variable, but that leads to failure. Simply letting it happen should be the goal, and making sure you nor the other impulses get in the way and block it.

[@tyranmcgrath6871]

I heard one late night every 2 weeks or a month (maybe a week) promotes growth hormone. Maybe that's what you felt

[@alvareo92]

It became the normal routine so it stopped bringing new things to the table!

[@hsen.a]

Early morning work sessions are awesome. I tend to lose focus afternoon until the next morning.

[@PursuitofBetter]

Huberman has a way of saying things everyone else says but in a way that gives it meaning no one else yet has

[@WalkToPoland]

Deep clarity is something you find when you're focused and aware working on your thing/craft everyday, and sometimes the depths in which you work, they prep your moves within that conceptual structure with clarity, and this conscious mind establishes grounds for relevant work to take place, and that's the focused zone, where thoughts interact with one another on a conscious level and create a living show moment to moment according to this vehicle which is our awareness. Flow, basically. The problem in the morning is we start to overanalyze sometimes and get caught up in the negativity, instead of working continuously on this 'dream' and wakeful state relationship.

[@iranjackheelson]

Like how you put that

[@davidzy4924]

Yeah, that's my problem. Allowing myself to think can either be incredibly beneficial for me or lead me to ruminate and start my day feeling awful

[@BillyG869]

I have a large graph of the day on my wall in my bathroom. Linear is timeline, vertical is energy levels for various modalities. There is a cycle for each of us

[@tyronefrielinghaus3467]

That sounds really interesting... Does it work for you - do find it helps to best structure your waking hours? I'm going to consider it. My small hack is analog wall clock(s) where I work...I find it less distracting briefly glancing at the clocks' arms than checking the digital readout on my laptop/watch. The clock is on the wall offset behind monitor. Take it (the time) as a gestalt, (reason why aircraft have dial (pointers) for the critical info, rather than digi readouts). I also have a wall clock viewable from my bed - and sleep w my curtains open - see the early morning dawn. (it's summer here right now - so 4:30 am begins lightening)

[@enejkelecija7377]

Lex seems like a great dude! I love how his mind works

[@john1107]

Both of you, great chemistry. 👌🏼

[@divineangel606]

gay

[@N.E.U.R.O]

I didn't know this was a thing, but I have this compulsion as well that in early mornings I don't want to speak to anyone or wake my brain up with other bs until I've sorted through some thoughts, especially when my dreams are still fresh in my head

[@anhudy]

I could listen to these guys talk all day!

[@r1transformer]

Mornings waking up in flow is my jam.

[@AngusLogan]

Me too!

[@eastcoast4233]

This really needed topical time stamps in the description.

[@privateequityguy]

*5 things to quit for all people:* 1. Caring about what others think 2. Not believing in yourself 3. Not prioritizing your health 4. Wasting your precious time 5. Chasing meaningless relationships For those who are in the rush of changing their lives :-)

[@OompaLoompaFu]

6. Wasting your seed

[@privateequityguy]

@@OompaLoompaFu well, good one!

[@Blaaggarding]

I'm not a scientist I'm a Mechanic but I have always believed an hour of work in the morning is more than at least to after lunch.Things just run smoother.

[@lukaotovic-nesic952]

I only work in the early mornings and slow down towards midday before eating. my mind is never as sharp in the afternoon and I think thats the effect food has on me

[@scottmiller2591]

Physicist, medical devices, AI expert here. I load up on at least 1 paper that really interests me before bed, then try to get 7.5 hrs sleep. Early in the AM, I'm in a kind of fugue state, and a lot of ideas wind up swirling around. When I get up, I write for 3-4 hrs before breakfast. I have 40+ parents, and I think this helps.

[@nikolairose2739]

1 paper from where?

[@scottmiller2591]

@raj jar Working commercially. Unfortunately, I don't get up at a regular hour - sometimes it's 7, sometimes it's 9.

[@scottmiller2591]

@@nikolairose2739 AI/ML, usually.

[@eaf888]

omg. i live this life style too. i need someone to keep me in that connection phase so i can continue working so i dont become distracted.

[@zackcarl7861]

Answers So what exactly shall we do in the morning , like i brush my teeth , drink water , and do some yoga, then read new paper in 2 languages , i can understand that i must, to eliminate external input/stop reading newspapers first thing in the morning, but can you please tell 1) how much time of download time does the brain need after waking up to ,say ok now the solution/ thought from sleep is rightfully in its place (the brain bookrack/register) 2) what activities, what inputs are allowed in the Morning or what activities are there that will not hinder the introspective state of my mind in the early hours but , will allow me to subconsciously without any input pass my time ,do some daily todo's . Is studying, or doing the most important work you have to finish that day , same as a newspaper and external input , like if i want to study for 2hrs in the morning or work on my project work or job , is that also like an external input since i think it too is like a non internal information, that can use the brain space for that could been used to download

[@GreenCloudArtOrg420]

Like to start the day reading a good book to get the mind flowing 😎

[@amarbugarin2242]

oddly enough for me I get those types of clarities you describe at night , when its cold and silent :D

[@zackcarl7861]

How is lex in an interoceptive mode in the morning (as hubermen said for you it's lot of thinking going on maybe reading research or studying a project refrence etc) how is that interoceptive and reading a newspaper exteroceptive , because basically both are external information that use up brain space and may hinder the natural morning solution i guess

[@maciejbalawejder1819]

Red bull should sponsor you man

[@tc_obichang]

You want to stick to a routine every morning. Mine consists of prayer, meditation, and devotion which is a state of fluidity with God and scripture reading. Lemon water to hydrate and cleanse out the liver, also affected other organs. I do deep breathing session, 30 inhales and exhales. And then I do a deep dive into my work, no music, no interference, and no visual stimuli other than my computer and work. I treat this as a mission, and once it is completed then I can have more adaptive space in the later part of the day usually after noon.

[@maxheadroom683]

On a side note, Napoleon used to wake up after 6 hours of sleep to work for about 2 hours (mostly on law), before going back to bed for 2 hours sleep and then get up for the day.

[@AlexanderMoen]

Is the 28 hour day thing a Men In Black reference?

[@Jupitertvv]

Lex “Cognizant” Fridman

[@Chomsky650]

this is what happens in case of vipassana(14 day meditation course), waking up early and no eye contact with other human being and meditate

[@zackcarl7861]

So i don't understand should i in morning let my mind be without any input let it download whatever it did in sleep or is it that i can just know am i interoceptive or exteroceptive and go do what i do ie:- i usually wake up and 2hrs in the morning (are very fresh and i feel light ) so i study or do hardest or most important task the as soon as I had my tea 🍵 and brushed my teeth. So should I stop it (was this video about that ) or is that ok, and must do

[@freedomhacking]

Lex, you touched on caffeine and it seems like both you and Andrew's energy and performance are held hostage by it. Have you gone deeper into discussing it in any of your episodes? Else, I think it could be an idea since many people are addicted to caffeine. Most people are taking massive hits just for a short and small rush.

[@incognitoturtle22222]

The brain's wavelengths allow for subconscious reprogramming during the moments of waking up or falling asleep. The same can be accessed during meditation.

[@whyimustusemyrealname3801]

so what should we do then? I got confused

[@John12512]

What’s the best way to consume coffee? I’ve been off coffee for about 4 weeks and I can’t help myself from napping every day around 12 pm. Any advice would be awesome

[@RabiesPlanet]

An hour and a half after waking up. Read into "The Power Of When"

[@LiquidLouE]

Maybe you’re not getting enough sleep? If you’re like me, you might require 9-10 hours a night. Combine that with caffeine when you wake up and the most productive part of the day is before 12pm.

[@John12512]

Jose Canalizo thanks i’ll check out that book 👍

[@John12512]

LiquidLouE yeah that could definitely be it. i’ve been getting 7 hours on average. growing up, my doctor said i was the type of person who needs a lot of sleep. i’ll start hitting the sack earlier

[@John12512]

Lance Johnson looking into the benefits of napping vs coffee now. what’s your reasoning?

[@MissJami]

It's probably worth pointing out that these two individuals have tremendous mental abilities as reflected in their acceptance into the top universities in the country. Lex originated in Russia while Mr. Andrew came from a university environment.

[@181asma]

Hi Lex, how are you? Just wonder if you will you be inviting Jordan B Peterson to you podcast?👀🥷🏾🤷🏻‍♀️

[@archivedaccount2049]

I am a 17 year old student with major exams coming up, should I go to bed at 21:55 and get up at 5:40 to do deep work first thing or should I go to bed at 23:00 and get up at 7:00. School is still happening for me and I leave the house at 7:40. I am somewhat behind in work and need to catch up on a lot

[@jasonsharpe9963]

Get at least 5 hours of sleep . This enough to get a couple sleep cycles in while still keeping the brain alert enough to respond and think critically . If you wake up early than get up don’t go back to sleep because you have 20 minutes left on the alarm clock 😂. Trust me . Once you wake up , get up. Also be comfortable man . Don’t go into your test all nervous and tense . Smoke a joint before or chug come coffee , take a poop , and play an iPhone game before .

[@michaelfeeney9147]

You don’t sleep until your work is done

[@jasonsharpe9963]

@@michaelfeeney9147 I feel as if you are suggesting he work harder . I suggest he work smarter , more comfortably , and take the time you need to take of your body . That is what will help you do your best.

[@samuelmalone8905]

Find some Ritalin or dextroamphetamine, keep topping up when you feel it wearing off. Should be able to go for about 80 hours before your brain becomes too ineffective. Can learn and consolidate any subject course in that time.

[@madslauridsen6550]

@@samuelmalone8905 Or y'know don't do drugs.

[@danl8994]

I didn't understand properly can somebody explain me please?

[@Bling92]

Lex can u go more into detaching and looking at yourself from a 3rd person perspective

[@bugballsy8569]

Saw a sleep therapist for insomnia. The getting light as quickly as possible after waking if tough as it’s usually my asshole that wakes me. I am also much more creative and funny in my head upon awakening

[@jacobtb1]

I have been working for 2 days

[@Andreas-yt9wv]

Wait.... Is Lex finally starting to modulate his voice? 😯

[@Hawkpeter1]

Not for the first time, I get Reservoir Dogs vibes.

[@thadfreebourn5138]

I believe it ok to not be productive, at timed

[@jagatdave]

But what if person is invested in family and first three hours are for taking care of parents...children..spouse...how can those people manage first three hours of morning...

[@ivotenotocensorship5247]

That's exactly how it is. The morning is when our creativity is the best. I never take advantage of that. Thats when most things happen in life.

[@shrutibag1]

i wish der wer transcripts

[@nickolaussoerjono2734]

This would've been helpful before I woke up this morning🙃

[@WBeraa]

for me that happens at the end of the day

[@montanaproductions5559]

Not sure how applicable the last portion is if you have a spouse

[@Arminas369]

Don't watch at the faces in the morning. Checked.

[@vidalskyociosen3326]

Questioning your mind, body and perception when they wake, so where are you while you are questioning all these are in you the mind ?

[@JustinGarfield1]

My solution to mind numbness: Math, weed mints, coffee, exercise and zelda. Lol

[@ulugbekabdullaev1774]

I respect what Lex does and think he's a cool guy, but it's so hard to not lose it when I listen to his looong questions with no many self-interruptions :/

[@badhombre4942]

Perhaps a power nap before the next video?

[@NothingHumanisAlientoMe]

I just woke up at 14:20.

[@invictuz4803]

Andrew is saying it takes him a while to wake up after from sleep after waking up, so how would you do a deep work session first thing in the morning if you're not a morning person like him. I think you need to do something else first before a deep work session to wake your mind up from sleep.

[@Leo_Fender]

First thing I did when I woke up just now… watched this..

[@betrandhussell1472]

Try to not use screens in the morning

[@Godfather48hrs]

I totally understand not desiring to see faces first thing in the morning. Unless of course they're happy or peaceful faces. Obviously it has to do with mirror neurons.

[@Keagan_Being]

And taking into account their relationship to emotions

[@bojan8380]

I feel like Lex is more concrete in his statements, the guest tends to give more "complicated" responses. I wish he was more hands on in his approach of explaining things.

[@khyber04]

He explained that pretty well?

[@flor.7797]

You sacrifice your nap quality if you drink coffee

[@ironmaidenmumbai]

He's done so much jiu jitsu..he has started talking like John dannaher

[@ColtonLoberg]

Is that a red bull

[@Gigli31]

why does Lex keep blocking people on Twitter?

[@DosuKinu]

My goal in life is to be Andrew huberman

[@AMogus-jr6qk]

Why

[@Sternertime]

Want to turbocharge that? Buy an alarm clock, turn off your phone a half hour before bed, make a habit of writing your dreams/weird morning ideas in your first 15 minutes awake every day, and only turn your phone on an hour after waking up. Do this every day, and also make a habit of re-reading your dreams regularly. Open your mind. Dream is your gateway into another world stacked on top of this one. Don't neglect it. There is a lot of you that wants to keep that dream of yours alive. Why deprive yourself of one of the most magical things you can possibly experience?

[@abdelilahbenahmed4350]

I find your approach to the world of dreams very intresting.May I ask you if you have a method or a thinking model for interpreting effectively your dreams?

[@jacobfschaffer]

🙌

[@jspr.]

Lex is that a Redbull?

[@dermic]

People should try to quit coffee just to see who they really are without stimulation

[@williambartholmey5946]

They're just a less sharp/quick version of the same person.

[@compfreyashen7579]

@@williambartholmey5946 or perhaps less agitated/quick to dismiss? 😉

[@williambartholmey5946]

@@compfreyashen7579 Maybe if you're consuming massive quantities, especially combined with very little sleep. A moderate amount of caffeine though is much more likely to reduce irritability.

[@Bling92]

Its good to quit and add in different things, that way you have more control over why you feel the way u do

[@EmptyAngelo]

the mind can't survive without stimulation. What you do mean i to see if people could survive without caffeine or drugs though yes?

[@daverei1211]

Lex, it’s called FLOW - a magical place without clutter that is a human cognitive super power. Unfortunately we clutter our minds with triviality and meaninglessness, like all the modern apps, deluge of news and the random chattering of noise by people and for people that don’t have enough cognitive load.

[@beoptimal8650]

Although I'd agree partially, your cognitive load is not the only thing that leads to flow, eg. action sports or even any sport in general

[@joeroganpodfantasy42]

28 hour day and it drifts, I found myself

[@hashim9882]

Same lol

[@Techfieldspaceguy]

❤️

[@thethankmelater93]

Why is this super smart guy drinking freaking RB? Do people in the US don’t know what over sugared energy drinks do to your body? Stick to espresso and 2-3 liters of fresh water.

[@AMogus-jr6qk]

Sugar free

[@MarkBunoy]

Does anyone find these “moments” at night, alone?

[@naska678]

afaik a video with 0 dislikes with almost 2k views . great .

[@rob770]

If you want to feel this morning productivity don't smoke weed

[@user-iw1oj6to4r]

Ritalin and coffee in the morning= productive bliss.

[@PhilippeLarcher]

Oh so even book reading may be an issue

[@MichaelJames707]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@onelove8062]

Why does this dude have a redbull on his table talking to andrew huberman lol

[@tnvheiseler]

No one is allowed to talk to me before early afternoon. I do this for years.

[@Prateek251093]

Do you have a "rounded" life?

[@tnvheiseler]

@@Prateek251093 Hope so. All my friends and girl friend accepted this, even my children most of the time.

[@CassoniCorp]

I have a book that goes through the daily routines of "successful" people in all various fields and mediums throughout history. The one thing almost every person had in common is your philosophy. They don't interact much at all until the evening, often locking themselves in a room to do there work for extended periods.

[@EmptyAngelo]

@@CassoniCorp can you please tell me the name of this book? i'm very interested

[@CassoniCorp]

@@EmptyAngelo Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

[@simonwesson7964]

IV heard nicotine can help cognitive Proformence like caffeine or ritalin.

[@JurassicJolts]

same

[@marclaygeorges2786]

It can, especially when stacked with caffeine. Be mindful though.

[@DanielAnderssson]

Meh overrated, drugs dont work like most people think but some need a 'placebo' to start moving

[@KabbalahredemptionBlogspot]

Sounds like the 28 hour day is not working. Try 24 and the same schedule every day. Start with meditation and Thanksgiving, then a code deep session that will pump you up. Then remember Humility always.

[@Aforghani]

Make sense that caffeine enhances his cognitive performance it’s a nootropic after all

[@blackbird8837]

bro you have an energy drink issue :D

[@TheLiquidK]

3:10