Protocols
Science-based tools and supplements that push the needle.
Bright Workspace for Alertness
Working in a brightly lit environment can lend itself to increased productivity throughout the day.
Work with as much overhead light as safely possible during the first 9 hours of the day.
- Increases dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and optimal amounts of cortisol
Working with a ring light or light pad will also increase alertness and stimulate photos.
Place desk near window, and open window if possible.
- Stimulates eyes and sends ‘wake up’ signal during first 9 hours of day.
Around 9–16 hours after waking, start dimming environment. Reduce blue light exposure, turn off overhead lights, turn on lamps.
Sit/Stand Straight + Elevate Screen
For optimal visual focus:
- Work while standing or seated — not laying down.
- Elevate screen and sit/stand up straight
- Looking down activates neurons related to calm and sleepiness
Narrow Visual Field for Focus
Narrow your visual field + gaze for maximum alertness, focus, cognition:
- Use a hoodie or wear a hat to slightly restrict your visual window
Utilizing Ceiling Height for Detailed vs Creative Work
The Cathedral effect: thinking becomes smaller and more constricted in tighter visual fields, and vice versa.
Use high ceilings to elicit abstract thoughts and creativity.
Use low ceilings to promote detailed and concrete work.
Background Noise for Optimal Focus
Avoid incessant humming of air conditioners or heaters:
- Can increase mental fatigue and decrease cognitive performance
- Even if we’re not registering background noise, our auditory system is processing
White/Pink/Brown Noise for Focus
White, pink, or brown noise can help with focus, in spurts of about 45 min.
- Don’t use for hours on end
- Better to go for a walk or get sunlight for a few minutes to refresh focus
Binaural Beats for Focus
Binaural beats place the brain into a state that is better for learning.
Binaural beats (around 40 Hz) have been shown to increase cognition, relaxation, creativity, pain reduction, anxiety reduction.
Low-frequency waves put the brain into a relaxed state.
High-frequency soundwaves which put the brain into more alert states.
Reduce Interruptions + Distractions for Focus
Distractions have an additionally negative component to the task at hand: takes time to get brain waves back into attention and focus.
If someone enters office / workspace, don’t shift your body or reorient yourself.
Turn off phone, put on airplane mode, or put away from eyesight.
Freedom app allows you to lock yourself out of internet to decrease distraction.
Sitting + Standing for Workspace Optimization
We weren’t designed to sit all day, OR stand all day. Best is a combination of sitting and standing — half and half.
Utilize boxes or books to create a makeshift standing desk.
People who decrease sitting time show improvements to shoulder and neck pain, vitality, improvement in cognitive conditioning, and embracing new tasks.
Active workstations are better for some tasks, worse for others:
- Improvements in attention and cognition when using active workstations versus seated
- Verbal memory scores were worse during active workstations
- No difference in cognitive tasks between cycling and walking workstations
Source
We recommend using this distillation as a supplemental resource to the source material.
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Optimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, and Creativity
Huberman Lab Podcast #57
This episode dives into ways to set up your workspace to optimize productivity, focus and creativity.
Full Notes
Overview
This episode is in queue to be distilled, and only has the relevant protocols.