Andrew Huberman’s Daily Routine Isn’t a Miracle Pill for Productivity
Have we lost perspective in the pursuit of productivity?
“The routine doesn’t suck. I do.”
That’s what the Youtuber said in her video after trying and failing to follow Huberman’s popular daily routine for 30 days.
But is she right? Is it her fault? Or is it that the routine isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?
The productivity corner of the internet is bursting with articles, videos, and podcasts showcasing Andrew Huberman’s daily routine.
It seems everywhere you turn, there is someone embarking on the challenge to do this routine in the pursuit of maximizing their productivity potential.
And yet, for every person singing the praises of this popular routine, there’s another beating themselves up for not being able to do it. And inevitably, their comment sections fill with self-professed gurus boasting how the routine works for them, and so the person failed because they didn’t try hard enough or didn’t do it properly.
The gaslighting around this topic is insane.
And it begs the question: Does Andrew Huberman’s daily routine actually work for everyone, or have we lost sight of nuance in the pursuit of productivity?
The public misconception of Huberman’s routine
When you first Google Andrew Huberman’s daily routine, you’ll see the same narratives constantly emerging:
- Wake up early (by 6 am)
- Get sunlight
- Do exercise
- Do cold exposure
- Adhere to intermittent fasting
- Do deep work every day
- Use the Pomodoro Technique
- Drink water with salt
- Go to bed at the same time every day
On the surface, this seems pretty harmless. After all, there’s nothing particularly paradigm-shifting about it, it’s mostly advice we’ve been told for decades. But if you look a little closer, you’ll notice something pretty insidious about it.
Have you noticed it yet?
That’s right. These steps are extremely rigid. There is little room for deviation. Either you do it as it’s written or you’ve got it wrong and fail at your own risk.
And that’s problem number one with this routine.
Public perception.
See, if you actually read the daily routine from Huberman Lab, you’ll find every single element of the routine comes with a whole host of caveats. Things like:
- If you can’t do this, try that
- If you don’t find it helpful, skip this step
- Always get medical advice first
- “ There are many factors … which will influence which protocols work best for you”
Those caveats are vital in potentially making it work for you. And yet public perception has this routine down to rigid checkboxes that must be completed daily or else risk a complete life meltdown.
Now, I will say I don’t think Andrew Huberman has added enough caveats to his routine, and it is still incredibly rigid, but it’s certainly a step up from the current public perception.
And I can only assume this perception comes down to two things:
1. The social media of it all
We all know social media prefers extremes. While most of life’s functions are a bunch of variables living in grey areas, maybes, and evolving personalised experimentation, the most clickable content gives you a specific path and tells you to follow it.
Perhaps it’s an air of hierarchy — “I have the answer. If you don’t follow my steps exactly, then you are the problem, and you can only blame yourself.” Or maybe it’s just that having a straightforward answer is more appealing to readers than delving deep into the world of “what ifs.”
In any case, the extremity of social media has evolved this routine into something it very much isn’t, causing many to gaslight themselves into thinking this routine is a) the holy grail of productivity and b) not being able to do it is entirely down to personal fault.
2. The productivity flex
We’re still very much in the midst of a hustle culture pandemic. One where every second of our time needs to be maximized for productivity. A second of non-productive behaviour is a second wasted.
And for some people, this has turned into a superiority complex. “I am better than you because I get more done in my day.”
The reality is that productivity is not so linear. You can optimize your day and have little to show for it. Or you can live in a messy, unorganised existence and still succeed at your goals beyond your wildest beliefs.
And yet, with so much insecurity around productivity and success, every video, podcast, and article saying, “I followed X routine and became Y in Z days,” becomes a way to blame others for their circumstances.
What we often don’t see is that routine is just a small factor in success. Money, resources, network, health… they all have a huge impact on your productivity and success — more than just following a rigid routine to the letter.
And certainly, a rigid routine is not the miracle pill it’s being marketed as.
Understanding individual limitations in Huberman’s daily routine
We know that Huberman Lab’s version of this daily routine comes with warnings that this is not a one-size-fits-all product.
And yet there seems to be a big disconnect in the discourse surrounding it that fails to approach this routine with nuance.
So let’s look at some of the biggest, most prevalent individual limitations people may face if they decide to follow this routine.
Let’s talk about the impact of hormonal differences between men and women
When we talk about any routine, be it Huberman’s or another, there are always strict rules for behaviour. Wake up at a certain time. Get X hours of sleep. Exercise X minutes a day. Do deep work for X hours. Eat X balance of nutrients in your meals.
As I’ve already stated and will continue to reiterate throughout this article — it’s too rigid. Even without specific timeframes, the implementation of the same activities day to day is in itself highly rigid.
And this rigidity impacts women much more than men*. Most men have the luxury that, all things being equal (enough sleep, no hangover, eating reasonably well for their needs), they’ll wake up with pretty consistent energy levels. That’s because their body works on a 24-hour hormonal cycle. Aka… their bodies literally run on clockwork!
The same can’t be said for most women.
From puberty to menopause, women go through hormonal cycles that can create an unpredictable body state day to day. Some days they’ll have lots of energy. Others, they can barely get out of bed. The severity of these fluctuations will depend on each individual and can be exacerbated by things such as PMS/PMDD, PCOS, endometriosis, and mental health.
The annoying thing is, even with a regular cycle, there is no guarantee on how your body will react on any given day.
And so, for some women, having such rigid routines can be next to impossible to adhere to.
Plus, unpredictable energy levels and moods are hard enough without blaming yourself for being unable to keep showing up in the same way every day when your body wakes up in a different state daily.
* It’s important to note the same points about fluctuating body cycles are also true for any person, regardless of sex or gender, who suffers from ongoing health issues. Factors such as disability, chronic illness, and mental health can potentially have the same energy and mood barriers, along with their own unique challenges, which can make following rigid routines impossible — no matter how many health benefits they claim to have.
Not all brains are created equal — just ask the neurodiverse population
The very principle of having a routine (or, as Huberman calls them, protocols) is that every brain works in the same way.
And yet, thanks to advances in the understanding of neurodiverse brains, especially as they pertain to things like autism and ADHD, we know that there are major discrepancies in how people process information and, as a result, behave.
We know that most people with ADHD suffer from executive dysfunction. An inability to effectively prioritise, set goals for the future (and stick to them!)and control impulses, along with the struggles of time blindness, makes it hard to successfully keep up a routine, especially one as rigidly publicised as this one.
Now, you might be thinking, ok, well, if you know that you are neurodiverse, then just ignore this and move on.
But we know that there is a substantial number of people, especially women, who are late-diagnosed, meaning there are plenty of people walking around unaware of what they’re dealing with.
And if there’s one thing people underestimate about neurodiverse people (especially those with ADHD), it’s how much guilt they feel about their lack of productivity.
Seriously, ask any person with late-diagnosed ADHD, and they’ll tell you how many productivity hacks they’ve tried and blamed themselves for being the problem instead of understanding the hack just wasn’t made for them.
And that’s just it. Humans are all incredibly unique in the way their brain processes information. Some, like neurodiverse people, are scientifically proven to have significantly different brain processes. Others may have subtle differences that just aren’t compatible with following such a specific routine.
So when a routine created by a credible Neuroscientist like Huberman becomes widely accepted as the “best way to maximize your potential,” it inevitably creates a wave of people who gaslight themselves into thinking, “If this doesn’t work for me, I’m the problem.”
And that’s the kind of disservice that creates a lot of self-doubt, leading to anxiety, depression, and a general fear of not being good enough.
Do we need to turn ourselves into productivity machines?
Huberman is pretty clear about the intentions of his routine. To maximize productivity.
But…
What is productivity, and do we really need to keep it up every waking hour? Like, if I’m constantly working, does that make me a better person?
Like the hustle culture I talked about earlier, this mindset assumes productivity to be the optimal form of existence. We’ve gotta work hard and be the most successful at whatever we put our minds to. Honestly, we’re trying to turn ourselves into one-person factories, constantly churning out productivity. And for what? To prove ourselves worthy? Good enough?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to succeed. I’m sure we all do to varying degrees. But since when did success have to be all about work, productivity and the figures in your account?
What happened to living life and experiencing joy?
Exploring the world through travel and meeting new people who open your eyes and broaden your perspective.
Spending time with your loved ones, completely disconnected from technology and expectations. Just hanging out because it’s fun and fills your heart with joy.
Exploring your passions because they make you feel alive, not worrying about monetizing them and taking the fun away.
Sure, we live in the real world where money makes the world go round. But at what point do we find a balance between earning a living and living a life?
Following a rigid routine may help you with half of that, but it’s up to you to decide for yourself: does it support the life you want? Does it make you feel as emotionally complete as it makes you productive? Is it worth it?
That’s a question only you can answer for yourself, and whatever you decide is completely valid.
So, is it time to discredit Huberman’s daily routine once and for all?
I know it’s gonna surprise you, but…
Absolutely NOT!
You see, for all the limitations of Huberman’s routine, it is based on sound science, and for some people, it really could change their lives for the better.
Sun exposure does improve mood. Cold exposure can make you more focused. Exercise is great for your brain.
This routine may be marketed as the maximum productivity hack that’s going to change your life, but it doesn’t have to be used that way. Some of these activities can have a real impact on your well-being, too. It has the potential to give you the energy you need to pursue your passions — whether they are steeped in productivity or not.
Still, that doesn’t mean doing these things daily, in the routine suggested, is good for you.
What the popularity of Huberman’s routine highlights isn’t a lack of good ideas but rather a widespread problem where many people don’t understand how to use it.
Routines like this should never be taken as a prescription because there is no all-encompassing benefit to it. The planet has around 8 billion people on it — no world exists in which a simple, rigid routine will benefit every single one of them. I mean heck, even tomatoes are unhealthy for some people!
Instead, people need to shift from a prescription perspective to an experimental one.
For some people, the behaviours outlined in the daily routine could produce incredible results. For others, it may just turn into a source of constant dread and self-depreciation.
The important thing is to understand that you are a unique individual with different needs.
If this routine doesn’t work for you, it was never made for you. You can choose to keep some and leave the rest, adapt it for your needs, or continue experimenting with activities, timings, and structure. Or you can bin the entire thing if you feel like it.
There is nothing special about the routine at its core. The magic only happens if it works for you. And if it doesn’t, that’s ok too. Your magic lives elsewhere.
So, if you are someone who has seen Andrew Huberman’s daily routine posted everywhere, telling you this is your path to success, proceed with caution.
It’s more important to understand how you, as your own person, function. What makes you tick, what gives you energy, what puts a bounce in your step every morning? Only you can decide if a routine like this fits into your life.
If self-improvement is your goal, keep experimenting to find what works for you.
And remember that the most productive thing you can do is to continually adapt your routines and systems to support who you are.
Don’t ever believe you have to change who you are to fit someone else’s idea of a productive routine. The best kind of routine is one that constantly adapts and evolves to fit you.
