5 Ways I Use Dopamine To Boost My Productivity...
I'm not going to bore you with a science lesson,
But the word 'dopamine' gets thrown around a lot,
So let's start with defining the term ' dopamine'.
Dopamine is the happy hormone that controls the brain’s reward system and drives us to do things that feel good.
It’s produced in the brain and communicates messages throughout your nervous system.
Example:
- You crave tea or coffee → You drink tea/coffee → You feel good
- You want to see your friends → You go out to park or to eat with them → You feel good
That 'feel good feeling' is the chemical called dopamine...
The focus of this blog post is knowing how to release dopamine in the right way…
How I use dopamine to increase productivity…
So, how do we strategically release dopamine to become more productive, be motivated more often, and achieve more…
Here’s what I’ve done that has worked for me;
- Share your work
- Remind yourself of past successes/ wins:
- Exercise & Stay Active
- Set realistic goals & habits
- Solve the Jigsaw puzzle
Let's begin...
- Share your work
A lot of the reason I keep writing these blogs (for the 3 awesome subscribers at the time of writing this…) is because I know people are taking value from the content I share. This external reassurance gives me confidence, which inspires me to keep writing…
- Remind yourself of past successes & wins:
You’ve won a lot more than you think. Small wins for me are like waking up earlier, sleeping on time, keeping your promise to exercise, and spending 20-30 mins/day speaking with a loved one … these are examples of ‘micro-wins’ I achieve throughout the day which keep me motivated…
Pro-tip: Perhaps keep a tally of ‘wins’ in a journal, or notes tab on your phone. Each time you have one!
- Exercise
I aim to work out in the gym 3-4x a week for 90 minutes at a time. I also recently began a 10-15 minute walk each morning before work. I may miss a day here and there, however, it’s important to do what works best for your lifestyle & get some level of physical activity- daily…
Pro tip- Make it a habit- For example, if you commit to going on a walk each morning, it’ll be a lot easier to follow through with…
- Set realistic goals & habits
While goals and milestones are important. A BIG mistake I made previously is setting goals which are TOO large…. Once your goal is set, break it down into a daily habit and focus on small steps (like you’re climbing a staircase).
After all, it’s the daily execution that will get you to the goal, not the goal itself.
Example- You want to become a content creator and achieve 10,000 followers on Instagram? Great. The habit here might be to post relevant content to your target audience, 7-12x/week. By that time you’d have roughly 520 posts in a year and it’s a no-brainer you would’ve made progress
- Learn New Things…
One of the biggest things that keeps me motivated is learning new things. Podcast, book, or article… Every new piece of info gives me that ‘buzz’ as I see the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle coming together… This comes from hands-on experience at school or work too. And the knowledge, experiences, and learnings have boosted my growth as an individual…
Now… I know that was a lot to take in,
To recap, we’ve covered:
- What is dopamine and how to I use it to get more done in less time…
- How to release dopamine and use it to boost your productivity…
I guarantee you learned something new, and feel motivated.
However, don’t expect to see success right away...
Even though you have no excuse for not going on a walk or exercising. Maybe re-read the article first, and allow your brain to make sense of it all.
If you liked this read, consider a good deed and copy and share the URL of this blog with someone close to you…
If you prefer not to share,
Then promise yourself one thing… Today, try one way to release dopamine and boost your productivity… the 5 ways that work for me may not work for you (or maybe they will…)
And remember, motivation is a skill that can be learned, and skills take practice and repetition…
I wish you health, happiness, and success… and I look forward to hearing about your success and results from the above.
Danny