The Ideal Length of Time for Focused Work | Dr. Andrew Huberman
Dr. Andrew Huberman describes the ideal length of time for doing focused work.
Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast.
Full episode: • Focus Toolkit: Tools t...
Show notes: hubermanlab.com/focus-toolkit...
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This clip is from the Huberman Lab episode "Focus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration." The full episode can be found on KZhead here: kzhead.info/sun/rMZuqtSnbIl6emw/bejne.html
My summary: Try to keep your bouts of mental and physical exertion to ~90 minutes. Remember that losing focus now and then is normal. Redirect your focus on the task at hand when it has drifted. Take at least ~10 minutes for a mental break in between each ~90 session of mental and physical effort, during which you should avoid narrowing your focus. Let your brain idle during this mental break. Doing this can make it easier to focus on your priorities again.
Thank you!
Huge help. Huberman lacks conciseness and sometimes lacks clarity.
He saysa up to 30 minutes for delibrately decompress. 10 minutes will be hard for most tasks and people
Thank you
Too long
It is refreshing to see someone finally being able to speak for 5mins without video cuts and corrections which fill KZhead today.
All those cuts are done so that people like you don't get irritated over someone else imperfections. Hypocrites huh
@@Rahul-pro Nah maybe he's saying it because it feels more natural and like an actual human being talking rather than bots talking nonstop lines after lines
Doc, this work you're doing is a contribution to world's happiness and productivity on a scale that's hard to overstate. Not just empty ideas but actionable concepts. And they feel so intuitive, almost obvious. The body has it's ways
Wow this is exactly the kind information I needed to hear about right now being a data scientist who lifts eights and a father to two small babies I’ve been getting really hard on myself when I loose focus and concentration. This is echoing advice my biofeedback therapist told me about years ago. 10 minute breaks 90 minute cycles . It’s replay good to be reminded so thank you Dr Huberman
As a computer expert, I cannot agree with you more. I found that staying on an electronic device(using it of cours!), even for watching entertainment, does drain you after a while. I have the bad habit of taking too short breaks and then complain that I am not able to perform as well as before, to myself. This was very helpful. Thank you very much
This is very relatable this video saved me from losing my mind lmfao
As a computer expert
@@Willynilly_69 That part got me cracking up too :P
@@aciuschristophores7789 Not even Bill Gates would call himself a computer expert lmao
Use the timer function on your smartphone and label it.
This helped me so much. I love understanding the biology behind performance topics. Today I am replanning the way I schedule my tasks based on this video.
I`ve studied now for the last 8 years. After a lot of trial and error my most productive study cycle is 80 minutes of focus, then a 10 minute break where I get something to drink, move around, check messages etc. for 10 minutes. Then I rinse and repeat. After three cycles of 80min I take a longer break for 30min or more depending on my schedule that day.
So, pomodoro?
this man is a gift to humanity!
This 5 minutes can be life changing.. thank Andrew for this!
Dr. Andrew Huberman "knows what is up!" He knows what is going on. I like his suggestion of 90-minute sessions. Very good suggestion!
What happened to the 7.5 minutes,first of a study time, being the most productive in a 30 or 90 minute session? I heard this a few months ago from one of your podcasts but couldn't get back to it to review. Bytheway, found your podcasts Professor Huberman when I did a google search on sleep in 2020. Studied and have degree in Biochemistry, I am subscribed and have benefitted from your lectures. Surprised to learn that most podcasts take 11 hours to make. Wow. And we get a zero-cost to the public service. Grateful. Lastly, the Chris Voss extensive interview a true gift to those of us wanting to always improve out communication skills. I am sharing with Law Enforcment contacts at Galveston Island Police Dept and Galveston County Sheriff's office.
Finally, some clips from the Huberman Lab Podcast without any background music!
Your recommendations are pure protein 4 me. I do take them very religiously 4 I can see how far they let me get there. Keep it up dude. 👍💪✌️
You know, John Cleese (yes, that John Cleese) in his book about creative writing also said that you need about 8 minutes to get into the zone to become fully concentrated. To hear Andrew Huberman say that you require 10 to get to that stage must mean something about this, arguably, golden timeframe.
Thank you. This is very insightful and useful. Am interested to learn about a few things - why techniques have been found to be great for the initial transition/ warm up? - what techniques have been found to bring attention back after a flicker? - from material and research I’ve read (as an armchair person interested in brains) it would appear that the great creatives (music, science, etc.) did on average 4-5 hours and no more of deep focus across a day. Be interested in your comments if the fact that they did no more than 4-5 (and 4 1/2 seems TK be the norm). Is this like not overtraining the body. And that allows for sustained lifetime effort?
Dr. Huberman, thank you for these useful pieces of information. I am a bioengineering student one day I would be very honored to have the privilege of working with you as an assistant.
control your blood sugar level if you want good focus. observation: morning i eat protein fat rich meal i+ coffee I'm sharp AF as soon as i eat something that spikes insulin my focus is broken.
Dr Huberman, you are a welcome well-spring of education, information and learning! Thank you for giving all of us your time, expertise, and attention. 💪
Honestly he seems to just preach untested junk science. All of these studies he talks about are not even peer reviewed, especially on cold plunge
I loved the phone/mobile device reference and how it can affect our walking, bathroom, and other times. 😄 I am glad I managed to reduce the time I spend on my mobile device. And even this week I used it less than an hour every single day. Now, regarding the time of focus - for me 90 minutes is too much. But I understand it is normal to lose focus in this period, so a break is essential within this period. I wondered why my morning routine turned to be a 90-minute period, while I wanted it to be one hour only. Naturally, I do the morning rituals in such a way that they take 90 minutes. Now knowing this, I can use it to schedule my morning, work, personal, evening, and sleep times accordingly. The challange is that not every day I do one and the same flow of things (which is good - I don't want to turn into an automatic robot), but at least when I need to be most focused and productive, I can use this knowledge in my advantage. 🙃
This is the best motivational video I have ever seen.
to people who might be wondering what one can do during the brreak, you can def give meditation a try. having a zero thought stage with your eyes closed or even the path to that wonderfully sets you up for another good work session.
Very interesting and makes sense. Well presented - Thanks for sharing!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:03 🧠 Our brain and body operate in 90-minute ultradian cycles for optimal focus and performance. 01:01 ⏱️ Set a timer for 90 minutes to focus on mental or physical tasks; include warm-up time. 01:56 🎯 Maintain focus, even if it flickers; shift back actively. Understand your brain's metabolic energy demand. 02:25 💤 After a focus bout, take at least 10-30 minutes for deliberate defocus to recharge. 03:23 📱 Deliberate decompression is essential for sustained focus; avoid phone use during breaks. 04:20 💤 Ultimate restoration comes during sleep; focus bouts are followed by deliberate decompression. 04:48 🔄 Alternate between intense bouts of focus and automatic tasks for optimal productivity throughout the day. Made with HARPA AI
You do a better job of presenting information.
I think you should use your brain not AI to summarise it will help you more to retain.
This is insanely helpful, thanks.
I actually feel pain inside of my brain. When people say your brain can't feel anything because it lacks nerves, I believe that to be false. I have felt sensation inside my prefrontal cortex, & as of recently I will get headaches where somewhere on the left hemisphere of my brain is in pain. This first occurred a few years ago, but I can now sense this is happening more often. It is also synonymous with the pain in my ear. I am trying to do the best to take care of my health, I only hope that one day I can better understand what's wrong with my neurobiology, it seems very superficial to me. trying my best here, thanks for all your helpful advice
Dr. Huberman the goat!
I will try this, thank you.
What about the Pomodoro method, where you focus/work for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break, repeat four times, and then take a 15 minute break.
Having a timer to be explicit about whether I’m working or not really helps me… But I find that at 25 min I’ve just really got going… Then 5 minute break feels like way too short, so what’s the point, it’s just frustrating that I have to try to focus again already, but my flow is already disrupted, and takes a while to get back into it again… I’m going to try doing like Pomodoro but 90 min, 30 min breaks. I think that might work better for me.
From my experience pomodoro is great to start doing focused work, 90 minutes can be daunting. But eventually moving to 90 minutes is better, as you get into more flow.
Rubbish. Why would you stop at 25 min if you're already in good concentration
What if you really get into the groove and suddenly the pomodoro's alarm interrupts your concentration, saying you must relax?
@@mendelovitch then expand your time, play with this until you find what works for you. It's also important to note that sometimes stopping your work in the groove tends to help some people. Writers for example sometimes stop mid chapter and when they come back it's easy to finish the idea. Compared to having to start from a blank page, but again experiment, what works for someone doesn't work for someone else.
Pomodoro theory and stats converge closer to 55 min (ON), and 10 min (OFF). That can fluctuate up 65 min on, but there's a measurable -massive dropoff in focus, accuracy, etc., after right around 1 hour (even 70 min+ has a measurable loss)
perhaps the break should be around 30 min; this way, next 90 min repeats precisely (as a cycle should do!), and (probably) with no drop in energy.
Great content , thanks for sharing.
Personally, I have noticed recently that what works best for me is that after doing 5 to 10 minutes of focused work, I take the rest of the day off. 😆 On a more serious note... thank you very much Dr Huberman! You are definitely an ELITE teacher.🙌
Dude you crush me on effective work
Same lol
Relatable
Very interesting - I've been trying to figure out the optimal work / rest balance for a very long time. Will give this a shot and see how it goes, maybe something like 90 mins, 30 break, 90 mins, 1 hour break, 90 mins, 30 break, 90 mins done for the day. I find trying to work more than 6 hours a day leads to diminishing returns quickly
One time I drove from North Carolina to Virginia and kind of focused the whole time… Ok, some music & Singing & Thought drifting. But a lot of focus!
I’m a firm believer in the 45 minute cycles. Tried and true for me.
So for every 45mins of intense study, do you take at least 10 to 15mins breaks in between?
@@mindhunter8772 optimally yes, not just a break, but a Power Nap.
How many 4 5 min in a day?
@@gvm271as many as you have time for
Ironically watching this in the bathroom...
The question is .. are you focusing? 😂
Same here 😭
Same 🤣
Thank You!
Dr. Andrew, I am a student from India. I have been a long time consumer of the incredibly useful, helpful content. Personally you have single handedly saved me from one of the worst times of my life that came in covid. I cannot thank you enough for that. Today, I have a question for you, I have developed a habit of studying for 45-50 mins or an hour then taking a break to watch an episode of a sitcom(20 mins), then getting back to studying. I find that this works for me. What would be your first thought on this as a fellow learner, and from a neurobiology perspective. Should I continue on this or turn towards the 90 minute cycles for more benefits?
I used to do this. I think it's not sustainable. Because ultimately you are using up the mental capacity a little and straining your eyes. Slowly replace that sitcom with just music, reading, excercise or just napping.
Watch the video again, little fella. Huberman said something like: "After focusing for about 90 minutes, do a pause between 5 to 30 minutes and, DO NOT FOCUS AT ANYTHING, DO MENIAL TASKS, GO OUTSIDE (added by me), DO NOTHING". No Tv shows, no cellphone, no reading. Let your brain rest, don't focus at anything.
@@akhilmaitreya996 he also said not to read, reading like watching sitcoms requires mental capacity.
@@sairos4057 so can i sleep to let the brain rest alongwith the body?
If it works - it works. I would try to push longer gradually, like 5-10 minutes longer. it looks like you know your body and capabilities, no one knows better than you
thank you so much!🙏
You are a great mind sir
Great episode
Thank you!
Great Advice!
The walking while texting is a big one. Walking while texting is the same to me as driving while texting. Just "pull over" on your feet and text where it's safe, free of obstacles, and where you won't be a human roadblock for anyone around you.
Thank you.
Thank You
Would you provide a clip of the awesome Space-Time Bridging technique? It'd be great to view it before the start of a work bout until it's become habitual.
Not kiddong but 90 min is what i found to be my best pomo time before i even knew this!!!
Personally, I am very well doing with the pomodoro technique. If I am in the "reading-,understanding-, structure- and creating notes - stage" I use this form of pomodort: 50min focus, 10 min break --> 2 times of this one pomodoro cycle. But in the elaborate-stage ( repetition with ANKI) I use a 4 ×25 min with 5 min breaks inbetween as pomodoro-cycle.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I use exactly the same system and it helps me a lot
that's ecactly what i find the most helpful strategy
Pomodoro is best system for me also - I try to go longer than 25 minutes, but most times the 25 minutes is best.
2:49 what are more resources in the “optimization world” besides the huberman podcast. Any recommendations?
Dr Huberman, Thank you for 💡 idea of 90 minutes focus on one thing. I promise you I will start practicing 90 minutes to 120 min ie 2 hrs slot x 3 Times ie 080-0900pm Priority+Planning 0830-10am- organise+one thing 04-0530pm- Growth Time for Self & my Business number
Retail Day Traders need to hear this.
It would be interesting to know good ways for decompressing the focus. I could imagine having a guided breathwork bring very powerful here. Not so sure about NSDR and Meditation as it is a kind of training for focus but is it good for decompression too?
Would love to know, because 10-30 minutes of meditation between focus sets would be great to do, but if this would really decompress is the other question.
God reward you with the best!
Thanks Dr
Great info for traders
Thanks!
Just saved it to watch later, when I might be able to focus
So the ideal cycle is 90 minutes of work followed by 10 minutes of nap. Or maybe washing dishes or doing laundry or having lunch or walking (without headphones). How about trying to meditate? Is that effortful or effortless? What other things to do to defocus?
Hi @Andrew Thanks for the videos. What is the impact of takling a 5-10 min break within a 90 minute study session?
It's recommended. You should take 5mins halfway through to dilate your eyes and that will help you avoid fatigue, especially if staring at a screen.
In summary: Our brain operates on Ultradian Cycles, which is 90-min cycles. What that means is attempt to focus on a task for no more than 90-min. 1. Accept the first 5 to 10-min within the 90-min is the transition time. 2. Be okay with losing focus during the 90-min focus time, but be able to shift your focus back 3. Brain uses the most of your metabolic energy, you'll feel tired after focusing for 90-min, so allow your mind to rest for at least 10-min, ideally 30-min of deliberate defocus time. 4. During defocus time, try not to look at your phone and let your mind idle.
What about if we done some exercises (light to heavy )in between sets of focus work
great content
That is very interesting, I will try it out and see whether it helped me focus.
For another perspective on this topic I've made a video called "Is Huberman right about study breaks" at Peter Rogers MD.
As someone with ADHD, having a mother with ADHD and 3 kids with the condition, 90 minutes is a huge huge stretch for us. It’s not even that we get distracted but that our brain just shuts down.
Well, I don't blame you for that, the society tells us that ADHD is a disease, but in fact is not. Everyone may have ADHD to some degree, and the degree over time changes depending on how we react to it. If you start focusing on what you were doing and accept the uncomfortable emotions and do the things anyways (even if you are far away from the optimal working capacity) it will get better over time (see ACT therapy). I am not a medical professionist or anything, I just have tried acting with any emotion and not responding to intrusive thoughts and it has improved my mental health drastically. I know it can be very hard, but try it and your focus will get better. Also, don't expect to be focused for hours without distraction, no one can do that.
@@klevisliperi7290 do you have it
That’s why he said it doesn’t need to be the full 90 minutes. My son and I with ADHD do 45 minutes stretches of work with 15 minutes of active brain breaks.
Adhd doesnt exist. What that means is that you cant see any difference in neurological "damage" in a adhd brain. If you look at history adhd was called mbd before and was called minimal brain dissorder/ dysfunktion. And said to be a damlaget from child birth. Adhd is made from enviorment. If you have a "adhd" parent you learn how ro act from the parrent. You are no more than your sorrunding. You can see adhd growing rapidly world wide due to kids dont learn how to chill. They are given information superfint from screens. Just watch a tv show for kids compare to a show 40 years ago. What happends If you sit still,eat shit and are given noice and pictures superfast all days. Your brain gets messed up. You can see that rhere are almost no adhd in farm lives or people growing up in small ciries around nature
The whole dang family 😂
i find it kinda funny that he mentioned that walking around is circles was a valid choice. ive learned to not use my phone until all of my work is done and when i take my 10 minute breaks i kinda just end up walking around in circles without noticing
can you nsdr after a focus session and is it better than menial tasks?
Good video.
I will now work on getting my marathon time down to 90 minutes. World record here we go!
How does the Pomodoro Technique fit it there, where they say 4x 25min with 5min break in between and 15-30min break after this before the next cycle. Will breaks in between contradict the focus the is reached in 90min cycles?
Loved the video Dr Huberman,. But during the defocusing period, is talking to someone an activity which could be done? What I mean is talking about politics, news, or just casual talk, or meeting someone new.
Running. My shins are agony unless do a 10 minute core glute routine. Even a shoulder stability routine.
@hubermanlab Is a NSDR an effective way to decompress after a bout of mental focus?
I find 20 minutes on and 5 minute break helps me the most
Does anyone know how many ~90min session is it possible to complete in a day? Assuming you have the full day (more or less 12 hours) free to allocate your attention to one task?
I couldn't find any research papers that proved this. The ones I found dismissed the validity of 90-minute cycles in productivity or cyclic cognitive performance. Although, I do realize that taking breaks works intuitively and anecdotally. Anyone find the papers that show the mechanism of these ultradian learning cycles?
You might wanna contact Dr. Hubberman for that.
I have no idea about this, but I've looked up a few other things he claimed and they are also sketchy. I feel like he definitely has Lex Fridman syndrome, as in he prefers the beautifully fitting story over the not very well understood reality. Or he just tells the story that will help people, who knows.
Would it work if you did some light work outs for those 5-10- 30 minute breaks?
In the past, I've use the Pomodoro Technique. I think 90 minutes makes more sense, as the 25 minute seems too short.
but how many of these 90-min intervals during the day are optimal, for example for intense studying?
I'll try
1:05 I know the sleeping states (rem, etc.). What are the waking states? Any video someone can link to to learn more?
great question! i would also like to know:)
2:40 Examples of menial tasks for refocus? I would’ve thought phone would be a good way to get defocused...it’s definitely distracting for me 🤪most of the crap I do on my phone is wasting time and avoiding true work lol
Your phone is still causing you to focus and activate your dopamine circuitry, especially if browsing social media. Best things are just to go dilate your eyes... Go for a small walk... Go to the toilet ... Watch horizon ... Tidy up around the house a little... Non sleep deep rest.
I am watching this from the bathroom 😂
Nice video
Pomodoro is what I follow 💁🏻♂️
Dose this cicles has any relation with the 90 min sleep cicles?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:03 🧠 *研究指出「超日循環」的重要性，建議每次專注工作或學習的理想時間是90分鐘。* 01:01 🕰️ *在90分鐘的專注工作中，前5至10分鐘是過渡時間，理解並接受這段時間是焦慮的熱身，並在90分鐘內真正專注於工作或學習。* 02:25 💤 *在90分鐘結束後，進行10至30分鐘的「有意識的放鬆」，避免專注後立即使用手機或進行需要高度注意力的任務。* 03:52 🔄 *有意識地進行「深度休息」，在每次90分鐘的專注後，避免持續集中思維，讓大腦進行自由漫遊，以促進專注力的再次提升。* Made with HARPA AI
thnx
can i talk to my friends and socialise in breaks between classes as a way of deliberate decompression?
fire vid
How do chessplayers mantain focus from 4 to 7 hours per game? Certainly they don't de-focus for 30 minutes.
does he have videos on HOW to focus ?
for the break is power napping not the best thing to do?
hi I'm industrial ingenerating student I have focusing problem if I like what I read I can read fore hours some times 7 but when I don't like it I lose focus fast can you help me this is really effect my lessons this started when i go to especial school when I was 13 and it getting worsted since
People are so very different from each other. It takes me about an hour to get into something and then when I am in the flow time just vanishes. Chopping and changing every ninety minutes would cause me so much mental pain. I think I suffer from Lenz Law.
Never heard of ultradian cycles. Which of dr. Huberman’s videos discuss this further?
I know sleep stages are 90 minute cycles (I think). Didn’t know it was applicable outside of sleep
@@21972012145525 I think he's mentioned that on episode 46 (Time Perception) ... That the brain works in 90 min cycles, even for your focus during the day. You start an ultradian cycle when you are ready to during waking hours (e.g to study), but at the end of those 90mins, your focus will begin to taper off.
@@blazed_sins9192 Thanks I will look into it
What have y’all found to be some of the best ways to decompress/recharge during the 15 mins?
A walk through nature and looking at the horizon, whilst thinking about absolutely nothing in depth. Non sleep deep rest / Nap
@@blazed_sins9192 Thanks. Will try.
@@bryanspicer90 try nsdr
@@chethann2295 thanks
A walk and ample hydration, fresh air
So is promodor not effective that 25m chunking ?
what about the effects of music in the background during study time?
Is this more effective than the 25+5 pomodoro technique?