🧠 Are You “Doom-Scrolling” for Dopamine?

You know the feeling. You’re exhausted, bored, and restless all at once. You know you should do something restorative, but instead, you scroll TikTok for 3 hours and feel worse.

This is dopamine seeking. Your brain is starving for stimulation, so it grabs the nearest, easiest source (junk dopamine). The problem? It’s like eating candy for dinner—brief high, inevitable crash.

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Enter: The Dopamine Menu

The solution is to prep your brain’s meals in advance. A “Dopamine Menu” is a curated list of activities that give you energy without the crash.

🍟 Appetizers (Quick 5-10 min boosts)

Perfect for: Transitioning between tasks or waking up a sleepy brain.

• 🐈 Petting the cat / dog (Oxytocin boost!)
• 💧 Drinking a glass of cold water
• 🤸 Doing 10 jumping jacks
• 💡 Changing the lighting in your room
• 🍬 Eating a sour candy (sensory shock!)

🍔 Main Courses (Deeply engaging flows)

Perfect for: Weekends or scheduled downtime.

• 🧩 Lego building or puzzles
• 🎸 Playing an instrument
• 🪴 Gardening / Repotting plants
• 🍳 Cooking a complicated new recipe
• 🎮 Gaming (but set a timer!)

🥗 Sides (Add-ons to boring tasks)

Perfect for: Making chores bearable.

• 🎧 Listening to a true-crime podcast while folding laundry
• 🖐️ Using a fidget spinner during meetings
• 🕯️ Lighting a scented candle while studying
• ✨ Gamifying your to-do list with SparkFlow

🍰 Desserts (Treats to savor, not binge)

Perfect for: A deliberate reward after a hard day.

• 📱 Social media (mindfully!)
• 📺 Reality TV
• 🛍️ Online shopping (window shopping)

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🛠️ Build Your Menu Now

Don’t just read this—do it. Copy this template into your notes app right now.

My Appetizers:

1. ________________
2. ________________

My Main Courses:

1. ________________
2. ________________

Pro Tip: Your brain will always choose the path of least resistance. Make your “Appetizers” easier to access than your phone. Leave your guitar on the stand, not in the case. Leave your running shoes by the door.

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📚 Read Next

• Why “Just Do It” is Impossible - Understanding the science of task paralysis.
• Body Doubling 101 - How to use social pressure for good.