Harvard Professor and happiness scientist, in a chat with Business Insider, opened up about his daily routine, which starts at 4:30 AM and ends by 9 PM. This not only helps him maximise creativity, but also helps him focus and maintain emotional well-being. Arthur C Brooks, who is also a bestselling author of books, including “The Happiness Files”, said that he felt compelled to do something about the world that has been increasingly becoming “more polarised, unhappier and lonelier”.
Brooks revealed that he played the horn, a musical instrument, for 12 years. When he was 28 years old, he completed his bachelor’s degree through distance learning and later pursued a PhD in public policy and human behaviour. He later became a behavioural scientist.
His career took a new turn when he joined Harvard as a professor of practice, and he has since reached more and more people through his classes, books, columns, and podcasts who are eager to learn about living well.
From waking up to hitting gym
He thinks mornings set the tone for the rest of the day, adding that he wakes up at 4:30 AM. He prioritises two things – Creativity and focus, and managing negative affect or mood. He backed this routine with research, noting that exposure to sunrise is “neurocognitively good” and boosts creativity and productivity.
Before hitting the gym at 5, he takes supplements, including a multivitamin, electrolytes, and creatine. What he revealed next is something that most people falter on – “Work while working out”.
For 25 years, per the Business Insider, he did a combined workout of zone 2 cardio and resistance training.
Religion is important too, and for the very same reason, he attends Catholic mass every day at 6:30 AM. He said that when is home, his wife joins him. “I’m an authentically religious person, but mass is also important to me as a scientist, because I know that meditative focus is good for managing negative affect down and managing creativity and focus up,” Business Insider quoted him as saying.
His breakfast plate is rich in protein and includes tryptophan, which helps in muscle growth, Greek yoghurt, protein powder, nuts, and berries.
“Then I’m good to go. From 8 am to noon, I’ve got the best concentration,” he was quoted by the outlet as saying.
‘Nobody gets in when I’m writing’
Since Brooks is an author and a columnist, he spends 3-4 hours of his life writing. He dedicates 150 minutes – 2.5 hours – working on his column “How to Build a Life” for The Atlantic.
He claimed that he is always ahead of the publishing date. He also works on books, and doesn’t throw away five paragraphs, until he, according to his own admission, feels like it is “garbage”, and a “dog’s breakfast”. Writing, he admits, can be emotionally draining, often pushing him into “the depths of despair”.
‘I don’t work 12 hours a day over weekend’
The 61-year-old, before taking up classes at Harvard, eats a protein-heavy meal. “For the rest of the day, I focus on teaching, whether I’m instructing courses or recording podcast episodes. This requires less dopamine than writing since I’m being asked questions instead of coming up with big ideas,” the outlet reported.
He added, “The key to not burning out is making sure that you still have a life; I work with a lot of people who keep me organised, so I don’t have to work 12 hours a day over the weekend.”
Brooks said that he spends his weekends with his family – his wife, two sons and a daughter. His oldest son, who is 27, lives on the first floor of their house with his wife and son. Another son, who is 25, lives up the street and is expecting his second child. His daughter, who is 22, lives in the Marine Corps, which is a 45-minute drive from his home.
“This arrangement is great for everybody. We eat supper as a family. I do a lot of the cooking and usually make some lean protein and vegetables,” Business Insider quoted the author.
Long walks with wife
Brooks, who has been married to Ester Munt Brooks since 1991, goes for 40-minute long walks together after dinner.
“I’m super in love with my wife,” he admitted, adding that they discuss something she read or he has been working on.
They end their day by praying the rosary together – an ancient form of Catholic meditation – at around 9 PM.
Brooks admits he cannot afford to live without structure. His father passed away at 66, and his mother developed severe dementia at an early age, which motivates him to prioritise his health.
“I don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or do any euphoric substances because they’re neurotoxic,” he went on to say, before adding that he focuses on things he loves – “My family, my faith and my work.”