Focus routines
How Huberman, Ferriss, Franklin, Mel Robbins and More Focus, Side by Side
One works in a 90-minute timed block, one in two four-hour shifts, and one in up to 12 hours of back-to-back meetings. Under the differences sit three habits: the hardest work goes early, distractions are shut out on purpose, and breaks are planned rather than stumbled into. Those are the ones worth copying first.
What They Have in Common
Hardest work first
Johnson calls his morning hours his best and saves the hardest tasks for them. Huberman aims his 90-minute block a few hours after waking, when focus comes easiest. Ferriss starts deep work as soon as his routine is done, and Franklin's plan put four hours of work at eight. Rich Roll writes in the early hours, when his thinking is clearest, and Mel Robbins gives 15 minutes to a project that matters before email.
Shut out distractions on purpose
Huberman sets a timer and blocks the internet with the Freedom app. Ferriss keeps his phone on airplane mode until his morning routine is done. Mel Robbins never carries her phone on her body, because if it is on her she looks at it.
Group the same kind of work
Ferriss gives each weekday a theme, such as Tuesdays for phone calls. Musk holds fixed reviews on his hardest project on set days of the week. Franklin kept noon for reading and his accounts. Rich Roll books calls and meetings for after noon so the morning stays his.
Planned breaks that reset you
Huberman takes a short walk and a 10-minute NSDR session after lunch in place of an afternoon slump. Johnson moves for 5 minutes every half hour. Ferriss takes his calls while walking.
Each Routine, Step by Step
Andrew Huberman
- Do one 90-minute block of focused work Mid-morning
- Walk, then do a 10-minute NSDR session Early afternoon
Tim Ferriss
- Keep your phone on airplane mode until the routine is done From bedtime until the morning routine ends
- Start the day's deep work with no interruptions After the morning routine
- Walk for at least an hour During the day, often on calls
- Give each weekday one type of work Planned weekly
Benjamin Franklin
- Ask "What good shall I do this day?" and plan 6:00 a.m.
- Work from 8 to noon 8:00 a.m. - 12:00
- Read or check your accounts, then eat 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Work from 2 to 6 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
- Ask "What good have I done to-day?" and review 9:00 p.m.
Bryan Johnson
- Do the hardest work in the morning Morning work block
- Move for 5 minutes every half hour Every 30 minutes while working
Rich Roll
- Keep the first hour quiet First hour awake
- Write while your head is clearest Early morning
- Keep calls and meetings out of the morning Before noon
- When you don't feel like it, act first Whenever motivation is low
Mel Robbins
- Don't look at your phone yet First thing
- Spend 15 minutes on what matters before email After the walk
- Keep your phone off your body All day
Elon Musk
- Batch the day into back-to-back reviews Working day
- Work where the biggest problem is Working day
- Park risky posts in drafts until the next morning Before posting
- Hold fixed weekly reviews on your hardest project Tuesdays and Saturdays
- Use a hard game as a check on how sharp you are Any time
LifeHack starter routine
One 90-minute focus block built from what they share
Run this once a day for a week before changing anything. Join the waitlist and this routine is ready for you the day the app opens.
Save This Routine- 2 min Write down the one task that matters most today From Franklin
- 1 min Put your phone on airplane mode and block distracting sites From Ferriss and Huberman and Robbins
- 90 min Work on that task only, on a timer From Huberman and Johnson
- 10 min Take a short walk before the next block From Huberman and Johnson
Other topics
Based on what each person has shared publicly. LifeHack is not affiliated with any of them. Not medical advice. Each step's sources are on that person's routine page.