My 6-Step Morning Protocol for a Better Day
September 22, 2025
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44:29Now PlayingMy 6-Step Morning Protocol for a Better Day
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelWant to make your own morning protocol? Download my guide to help you get started
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 officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
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*Where to find Arthur Brooks:*
• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com
*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
*Referenced:*
• Leadership and Happiness course
• How to Build a Life
• The Happiness FilesInsights on Work and Life
• Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affectThe PANAS scales
• Arthur’s PANAS quiz
...References continued at
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