the perfect daily routine for students in 2025 (summer edition)
Watch the video version here!
My Health-Focused Productivity Routine (That Doesn’t Burn Me Out)
Over the past few years, I’ve consumed everything I could about productivity and health.
Thousands of articles.
Hundreds of Huberman podcasts.
Dozens of books.
And after testing everything, failing repeatedly, and learning through experience — I’ve built a routine that lets me stay productive and healthy.
I’m not one of those kids who stays up until 4 a.m. cramming, only to score an 82% on the chemistry test.
This routine changed my life. So let me walk you through it.
Morning
My day starts at 6 a.m. — as it should for most of us (hopefully). I wake up with an app called Sleep Cycle. Unlike the default iPhone alarm, which is basically trauma in audio form, Sleep Cycle wakes you up when you’re already in light sleep. That means you start the day when you’re already more awake instead of feeling like you hit leg day (for those who don’t know, it means you’re practically disabled the next 2 days).
The first thing I do is drink water. Now, I’ll be real — hydration is my weak spot. I forget to refill my water bottle all the time. Even as I write this, it’s empty. Yeah, maybe I should go fill it.
Brb (cue elevator music).
Once I’m hydrated, I brush my teeth, throw on running clothes, and head out for a jog. Two reasons for this: first, sunlight. Huberman swears by it, and he’s right — morning sunlight tells your body it’s time to be awake. Second, movement. A light run gets my blood flowing, releases endorphins, and puts me in a good mood. The type of mood school usually kills.
After the run, I stay outside. I meditate. I know — it sounds cliché, like your average CEO morning routine, but it works. Meditation clears my head and helps me make better decisions throughout the day.
From there, it’s a cold shower for a dopamine boost, black coffee, and a quick set of affirmations and visualizations. It’s nothing too much — just me telling myself who I’m becoming and why it matters.
By now, it’s about 7:30 a.m. I’m ready to start my first deep work session.
Day
I always begin with the hardest task on my calendar. I sip my coffee, shut out distractions, and dive into two hours of deep work. No multitasking. No phone on my desk. Just focus.
By 9:30, my brain needs a break. This is where most people mess up — they keep grinding, and their focus collapses. Instead, I step outside and do nothing. Literally. This is scheduled as “boredom” in my calendar.
There’s a reason for this. When you work, your brain uses something called the Task Positive Network (TPN). It’s great for focus, but it drains energy. To restore it, you need to activate the Default Mode Network (DMN) — the part of your brain that lights up during rest, nature, or mind-wandering. Sitting outside, immersed in nature, resets me.
After thirty minutes of this, I eat a protein bar and jump back into my second deep work session. The break gives me 95% of the focus I had for the first one.
When I finish, it’s time to hit the gym. I follow a basic push–pull–legs split. Nothing special. Just consistent lifting. And yes, I fast until lunch. Every fitness guru will tell you this is wrong, but this routine is built for productivity — not maximum muscle gain. Eating early wrecks my focus, so I save my first real meal for after training.
Lunch is around 2 p.m. From there, I read for an hour while standing (to partially offset the post-meal crash), then dive into my third and final work session around 3:30. This session is reserved for lighter tasks because my energy is lower by this point.
By 5:30, my workday ends.
Evening
Evenings are my cooldown. From 5:30 to 7:30, I relax. No scrolling. No video games. I just spend time with my family, play cards (and win, of course), text friends, or listen to podcasts. Sometimes I journal or meditate again. But this time is just about recharging. Making life enjoyable after the grind only makes you want to repeat it.
Dinner is at 7:30. I know it’s a bit late for someone who sleeps at 9, but I’m experimenting. Ideally, your last meal should be 1–4 hours before bed.
After eating, I wind down. A quick hot shower helps lower my body temperature — which makes it easier to sleep. At 8:15, I schedule my tasks for the next day and journal, emptying my head onto paper.
By 9 p.m., I’m in bed. And I drop dead asleep almost instantly.
And that’s it.
This routine isn’t perfect. It’s not even simple. But it works. It lets me stay healthy, productive, and — most importantly — free.
Want to Build Your Own Routine?
I run a community where I coach students like you on building productive lives without burning out.
We host weekly group calls (sometimes even 1:1), share free resources, and we’ll keep you accountable.
👉 [Join the community here] and start leveling up.
Later bro,
– Aathraey