Dopamine Detox
More focus and less negative thoughts in 7 days. Take your control back.
Hi everyone!
I wish you a wonderful Monday.
Welcome to another week of our journey towards a healthier, more focused, and fulfilled life.
In this week's edition, we're diving into a topic that's becoming increasingly significant in our hyperconnected world - Dopamine Detox.
You've probably heard of it before, but do you know why it's so essential and how it can profoundly impact your life?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in how we experience pleasure and rewards. But in our modern age, it's easy to overload our brains with dopamine-stimulating activities such as social media, streaming services, and constant digital communication.
Over time, this can lead to chronic distraction and dissatisfaction, making it harder for us to focus, stay motivated, and appreciate the simple joys of life.
In today's newsletter, we'll delve into what a Dopamine Detox is, why you should consider it, and how to navigate a 7-14 day Soft Reset Challenge successfully.
We'll discuss practical tips and strategies to help you regain control of your digital habits and enhance your focus and mental well-being.
Remember, we're all on this journey together. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need support. Now, let's dive in!"
Feel free to adjust it to match your style and tone.
🧪 Understanding Dopamine
🔄 The Cycle of Addiction
📱 Status Quo
🔍 The 'Dopamine Detox' Solution
✅ Tips for a Successful Detox
🧪 Understanding Dopamine
Basics
Dopamine is a messenger substance and, thus, functions as a neurotransmitter. It is also called an anticipatory hormone.
Let me give you an example:
When you are active on social media and upload something, you expect how your followers or viewers will receive it.
When the expectation is met, and you get the likes and views you want, dopamine triggers the reward mechanisms.
So now the endorphins and your body's opiates are released.
You're chasing those feelings of happiness every day, and you're conditioned to do that.
But I don't just mean social media. You always want more and more and need more and more so that your endorphins are released.
So dopamine means the expectation of something, and endorphins mean happiness.
Do you remember the first time you did something? For example, driving a car alone for the first time? Do you remember that feeling?
🔄 The Cycle of Addiction
In the beginning, things often cause great joy and astonishment, but that doesn't happen every time.
That's also good because that naturally stresses your body.
In the meantime, however, your expectation of things is very high. You become addicted to happiness and endorphins. If that's not the case for you, congratulations, you're one in a hundred.
So we become more sober in situations where we used to feel happiness.
Some things that used to be fun are no longer fun. I'm sure you know this too. Social media is so fast, with so many messages and notifications.
As a result, when you're in a conversation, and the other person is talking, you feel like you want to get away and do something else. You can't relax and sit back anymore.
Everything has become increasingly extreme on social media and dull because we always want more.
When the extremes can't be topped anymore, it becomes dangerous because we can become unfortunate.
That's why you need a reset to appreciate even the daily things again.
It can lead to the fact that our life is not so much fun when we are not in a high, that is, an extreme.
📱 Status Quo
Pop-ups come permanently, and you have your smartphone all day long.
You do everything on your phone:
Gaming
Netflix
Insta
Write
Work
You're online all the time and connected too.
It's constant communication, notifications come, and you lose your focus.
Back then, movies on tv would start at a fixed time, mainly around 8:15 pm.
I organized my daily routine around that. It was an event for me, and I went shopping beforehand and looked forward to it.
Today, I can stream my movies and series from anywhere, just like everyone.
When was the last time you lay in bed at night and went over the day again, the conversations and moments? You get busy with yourself when you have nothing to do.
Sometimes it's downright creepy when it's so quiet because there's so much new stuff every day.
Countless people pick up their cell phones when the movie isn't exciting, and I count myself among them. Almost everyone does it.
Fortunately, I became aware of it and was able to do away with it directly.
Don't tell me you're not on your smartphone all the time.
On the plane?
You watch a series.
While walking?
You put in your headphones.
You meet with friends?
You send memes to each other.
You always have something to do with media, and there is no more silence.
You get panicky when your cell phone doesn't work, or the Internet doesn't work.
I see with many others that they are at events, like a soccer game or something like that, and then they take pictures.
That's fine, but they don't take pictures for themselves anymore, it's shared on social media with other people.
That's why I'm on a "dopamine detox" right now. I want to get back to more appreciation for the everyday little things and less distraction and loss of control.
🔍 The 'Dopamine Detox' Solution
There are three possibilities for a hard reset.
A 1-day challenge where you completely cut out your cell phone and all media. However, I would not advise this because it can lead to a “Yoyo-Effect”. Nevertheless interesting to test, and maybe it is also an eye-opener for you.
7-14 days soft reset
60min Screen Time (or Apps)
Whatsapp Web instead of Whatsapp on your mobile
No "Productive Procrastination”
Replace Display Entertainment
No Por*n
Listen to music
Include me-time / meditation
60min Screen Time (or Apps):
If 60min doesn't work because you need your smartphone for work, then set it for apps. For private, you should use your phone for 60 minutes. Also, block out people who give you bad vibes, and don't get distracted.
Whatsapp Web instead of Whatsapp on your mobile
If you only use Whatsapp Web, then you write more focused. At a specific time, you go online and then offline again. Not anytime and anywhere.
No "Productive Procrastination”
You don't need to give yourself motivational sayings for the 100th time or read your twentieth self-health book and lie to yourself that you are productive.
So look specifically at the content you need. And otherwise, sit on the couch and relax. Read a book instead of watching a series.
Replace Display Entertainment
Replace your usual digital entertainment with a book, meet with friends, or go for a walk.
No Por*n
It should be self-explanatory. It destroys your ideas and changes your expectations massively, and you lose control of it.
Listen to music
Don't listen to music all day long and everywhere.
But specifically in the morning to get motivated or in the evening when training or dancing.
Include me-time / meditation
Every day, you should spend at least 30 minutes of your day on your me-time. That means doing a meditation or writing a journal. Or sit there as you need to.
The point is not to be afraid of silence, but of course, you don't have to meditate if it doesn't feel good or comfortable for you.
And if you don't think you have that time:
Do 60 minutes!!
✅ Tips for a Successful Detox
Optional extra points:
Cook yourself something instead of ordering something.
I also avoid fast food, caffeine, and industrial sugar, mainly sweets.
Get 7-8h sleep.
Clean your environment and empty your apartment. What can go out, what you don't need anymore. This will create order in your home and your mind.
Here are a few things I recommend you should always do:
Turn off your sounds and the vast majority of notifications. Trust me. It feels so good. Don't let any program take control away from you when you open it.
Only be online sometimes. Check messages at set times during the day (3-4 times).
Make a daily action plan of what you want to accomplish.
No P*rn. Best not to do it at all.
Me-Time in the evening. That is a critical point and one of my favorites.
Turn off your smartphone 15min before you go to sleep (before you go to the bedroom or lay down). Take 15min time for yourself.
Don't turn your phone back on until the morning after your morning routine. I have already heard from so many people how important this is for the complete daily routine.
Read digital news in the morning and in the evening instead of paper, a book, or similar. Otherwise, the blue light will wake you up again.
You will lose if you always let yourself be guided by those making money off you.
Feel free to DM me if you have any problems or questions.
I wish you so much success with the Challenge.
Since I'm extending my Challenge for a few more weeks, my results will be coming soon.
Thanks for reading.
I wish you a successful week, and remember to have fun too.
See you next week!
Photo by Christopher Gower on Unsplash
Photo by Mario Dobelmann on Unsplash