Learn more about your affect profile by taking the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule quiz (PANAS) here, and download Arthur’s morning protocol guide to help you start your mornings happier.
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Today, I want to talk about one of the lowest-hanging fruits for improving your well-being: exercise. Most Americans don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity, which means there’s an enormous opportunity to feel better. In this episode of Office Hours, I explain the science behind how exercise helps lower stress, anxiety, and negative mood, and how you can utilize it to improve your life.
I also cover:
• Which kinds of exercise do the most to lift your mood and which calm stress the best
• The stark reality of how few Americans meet even the basic exercise guidelines
• The 3 key brain chemicals exercise activates to improve your mood
• How to build an exercise habit that sticks
• How to define your emotional objective and build a routine around it
• The red flags that indicate exercise is tipping into addiction
• Why a simple sunrise walk may be the most effective way to begin
• Listener questions on the effects of rituals on happiness, experiencing transcendence as a skeptic, and finding meaning in life
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
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Brought to you by:
• The Pump Club—Finally, fitness you can trust. Join The Pump Club—created by Arnold Schwarzenegger—for custom workouts and nutrition, habit building, and community—all for 50% OFF the monthly price with the code officehours at checkout.
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Where to find Arthur Brooks:
• Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/
• X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/
• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(04:32) How active are Americans
(06:14) The 4 core types of exercise
(08:50) How exercise boosts the brain through 3 key neurotrophic factors
(11:55) The unique mental benefits of aerobic exercise, yoga, weightlifting, and sports
(15:36) What the data shows about who experiences the strongest mood lift from working out
(19:00) Signs your exercise habit is tipping into behavioral addiction
(24:48) Step 1: Build a strong foundation with a basic exercise routine
(26:34) Step 2: Define your emotional objective and personalize your routine
(27:36) Step 3: Aim for high moderation
(27:59) Why sunrise walks are an ideal entry point for new exercisers
(30:34) Q&A: How do rituals play into improved happiness
(31:48) Q&A: How to get the benefits of transcendence as a skeptic
(33:20) Q&A: How to find the reason you’re alive
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Referenced:
• Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html
• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/
• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN
• My 6-Step Morning Protocol for a Better Day: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/podcast/my-6-step-morning-protocol-for-a-better-day
• Physical Activity Among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db443.htm#section_1
• Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 19 August 1785: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-08-02-0319
• ...References continued at: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours
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Office Hours with Arthur Brooks 
