Episode
Optimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
1:40:24
Published: Mon Jan 31 2022
Description
In this episode, I discuss ways to set up your workspace to optimize productivity, focus and creativity. I discuss how to adjust light, physically arrange your work environment, and leverage body posture to enhance productivity. Additionally, I explore how to shift your work environment for particular types of tasks. Moreover, I review the role of body movement in the workspace. I also discuss sound-based tools that can either enhance or diminish cognitive functioning (the ability to focus on deep work). I describe a particular frequency of binaural beats that studies show can be used to enhance memory and recall. This episode covers quality peer-reviewed findings practical tools anyone can use, regardless of budget, in order to optimize their workspace to achieve heightened levels of productivity, increased alertness and focus, and creativity. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Arranging Environment for Focus (00:02:44) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:07:55) How to Increase Focus (00:10:02) Lighting Your Work in Phase 1 (00:16:00) Lighting Your Work in Phase 2 (00:19:45) Lighting Your Work in Phase 3 (00:24:17) Where to Look While You Work (00:28:02) Arranging Your Environment (00:31:24) Body Posture (00:34:22) How Long to Do Deep Work (00:36:50) Set the Right Visual Window Size (00:42:15) 45 min / 5 min Rule (00:44:23) The Cathedral Effect: Analytic vs Creative Work (00:55:50) Leveraging Background Noise (01:02:20) Binaural Beats for Work (01:06:38) The Best Binaural Frequency for Work (01:11:17) How Binaural Beats Increase Focus (01:13:56) Minimizing Interruptions (01:20:01) Sit or Stand, or Both? (01:25:18) Movement in the Workspace (01:31:00) Summary & Shifting Work Environments (01:39:36) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
This podcast covers the benefits of InsideTracker as a personalized health and wellness tool, optimizing supplement intake for effectiveness and cost, and arranging your workspace to maximize productivity in different environments, based on scientific research.
00:00 - 07:35 (07:35)
Summary
This podcast covers the benefits of InsideTracker as a personalized health and wellness tool, optimizing supplement intake for effectiveness and cost, and arranging your workspace to maximize productivity in different environments, based on scientific research.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast episode explains the ideal workspace conditions that can help improve one's focus and increase productivity, including lighting, noise levels, and music.
07:35 - 14:44 (07:08)
Summary
This podcast episode explains the ideal workspace conditions that can help improve one's focus and increase productivity, including lighting, noise levels, and music. Bright overhead lights are recommended during the first phase of the day (zero to eight or nine hours after waking) to facilitate focus.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Working late into the night and being exposed to bright light can send mixed signals to our body clocks, causing us to feel jet-lagged.
14:44 - 24:10 (09:26)
Summary
Working late into the night and being exposed to bright light can send mixed signals to our body clocks, causing us to feel jet-lagged. To reduce this effect, it's essential to limit the amount of bright light we are exposed to, especially at night.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Good posture activates certain neurons in our brainstem, releasing neurotransmitters that enable us to maintain focus and be alert.
24:10 - 31:55 (07:44)
Summary
Good posture activates certain neurons in our brainstem, releasing neurotransmitters that enable us to maintain focus and be alert. Looking down towards the ground or below our central facial region activates neurons related to areas that release different neurotransmitters, leading to a different state of mind altogether.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
It takes about six minutes for our brains to engage neural circuits when starting a task.
31:55 - 40:45 (08:49)
Summary
It takes about six minutes for our brains to engage neural circuits when starting a task. Most people can only maintain focus for about three minutes before switching tasks.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Learn about the "Cathedral Effect" and how placing yourself in certain environments can allow for abstract and creative thinking to emerge.
40:45 - 47:02 (06:17)
Summary
Learn about the "Cathedral Effect" and how placing yourself in certain environments can allow for abstract and creative thinking to emerge. Additionally, discover how taking breaks and engaging in Magnocellar panoramic vision can optimize your brain for detailed analytical or abstract work.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Examining the effects of ceiling height and noise levels on cognitive processing and creativity, high ceilings activate concepts related to abstraction, whereas low ceilings prime confinement related concepts, and white noise, especially if it is loud, can cause disruption in the auditory maps.
47:02 - 59:23 (12:20)
Summary
Examining the effects of ceiling height and noise levels on cognitive processing and creativity, high ceilings activate concepts related to abstraction, whereas low ceilings prime confinement related concepts, and white noise, especially if it is loud, can cause disruption in the auditory maps.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Binaural Beats are created by introducing a specific pattern of intraaural time differences that puts the forebrain and other areas of the brain into a particular rhythm, facilitating cognition and increasing alertness through the use of white, pink, or brown noise.
59:23 - 1:08:10 (08:46)
Summary
Binaural Beats are created by introducing a specific pattern of intraaural time differences that puts the forebrain and other areas of the brain into a particular rhythm, facilitating cognition and increasing alertness through the use of white, pink, or brown noise.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Listening to 40 Hertz binaural beats can enhance focus, reduce reaction times, and improve learning and memory by increasing dopamine transmission in the brainstem and striatum.
1:08:10 - 1:14:12 (06:01)
Summary
Listening to 40 Hertz binaural beats can enhance focus, reduce reaction times, and improve learning and memory by increasing dopamine transmission in the brainstem and striatum. Try listening to binaural beats for 30 minutes before a work session.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
This episode explores the two approaches used by productive people to work; one preferring to work in a coat closet with minimal lighting while avoiding positioning the computer facing the door, while the other allows interruptions in his workspace to bring insights and provide essential support while working.
1:14:12 - 1:18:33 (04:21)
Summary
This episode explores the two approaches used by productive people to work; one preferring to work in a coat closet with minimal lighting while avoiding positioning the computer facing the door, while the other allows interruptions in his workspace to bring insights and provide essential support while working.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
Studies show that people who sit for long hours at work, suffer from various health issues related to cognition, sleep, and digestion as compared to those who stand or sit-stand desks throughout the day, which also help in improving productivity.
1:18:33 - 1:27:55 (09:21)
Summary
Studies show that people who sit for long hours at work, suffer from various health issues related to cognition, sleep, and digestion as compared to those who stand or sit-stand desks throughout the day, which also help in improving productivity.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
For detailed analytic work, choose an environment with a low ceiling, but for tasks like exploring treadmills or cycling, consider using 40 Hertz binomial beats to improve focus and attention.
1:27:55 - 1:36:20 (08:24)
Summary
For detailed analytic work, choose an environment with a low ceiling, but for tasks like exploring treadmills or cycling, consider using 40 Hertz binomial beats to improve focus and attention.
EpisodeOptimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity
PodcastHuberman Lab
The environment we work in can have a big effect on our productivity levels.
1:36:21 - 1:40:21 (03:59)
Summary
The environment we work in can have a big effect on our productivity levels. Changing our surroundings, like playing music or moving to a different location, can help maintain focus and alertness.