My 6-Step Morning Protocol for a Better Day

Want to make your own morning protocol? Download Arthur’s guide to help you get started: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/6-protocols

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How you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. In this episode of Office Hours, I share the science and habits behind my “Mad Scientist” morning routine, a six-step protocol I use to lower negative affect, boost positive mood, and make mornings a time of focus and flow.

I introduce the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), explain why morning mood matters, and show you the research-backed habits I use to improve mine. 

In this episode, I cover:

• Why your morning starts the night before with an early bedtime

• How witnessing the sunrise can help manage poor morning moods 

• The reason I don’t use the alarm clock on my phone 

• Why I exercise first thing

• How to build a grounding spiritual or reflective practice (even if you’re secular)

• Why delaying your morning coffee can improve focus and energy throughout the day

• The high-protein, tryptophan-rich foods I eat for breakfast 

• Why you need to protect your most productive hours of the day 

• Listener questions on staying compassionate while protecting yourself and whether anger is linked to unhappiness

We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at [email protected]. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!

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Where to find Arthur Brooks: 

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:02) Introduction to PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule)

(06:36) How to measure your emotional baseline and manage morning mood

(08:42) Step 1: Brahma Muhurta. The case for getting up before dawn

(13:46) Why your morning starts the night before

(14:52) Step 2: Get physical 

(17:54) Why morning exercise is Arthur’s go-to for managing negative affect

(21:27) Step 3: Get metaphysical

(26:50) Step 4: Coffee time. Why you should delay it 

(31:30) Step 5: Eat a tryptophan-rich, protein-heavy meal

(35:40) Step 6: Get into the flow 

(38:55) Q&A: How to stay compassionate while protecting yourself

(41:38) Q&A: Is there a direct link between anger and lack of happiness

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Referenced:

• Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html

• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/

• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN

• Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.54.6.1063 

• Arthur’s PANAS quiz: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/quiz/panas

...References continued at: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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