Sometimes, I’m just not motivated. Despite eating relatively healthy, regular exercise and consistent sleep, I waste time. I’ll pretend I need a snack to re-energize. Other times, I’ll surf celebrity gossip sites, convincing myself it’s work-related. (Hey, you never know; you might want to read about the Royal Family’s fitness routine one day!) But these energy-draining activities, cleverly disguised as pick-me-ups, leave me feeling worse.
Just like any device that needs its battery charged regularly, so do our brains. Fortunately, we can get this top-up through dopamine, a neurotransmitter known as the feel-good hormone. It plays a major part in our experiences of pleasure, focus and our drive toward goals. When dopamine levels are high, we feel happy and motivated. Lower levels can make us feel depleted, directionless and struggling with concentration.
Those with ADHD often have lower levels of dopamine, which can make it not only harder to focus and get things done but can also make one feel flat and indifferent.
“The problem with ADHD is that you’re not getting as big of a burst packet of dopamine. As a consequence, it’s difficult to be motivated about things that don’t interest you as much,” notes Stephanie Borgland, professor of physiology and pharmacology at the University of Calgary.
Whether or not you have ADHD, if you frequently find yourself doing the same draining behaviour (social media scrolling, anyone?), then it makes sense to look at tweaking your lifestyle and daily activities to avoid these soul-sucking hurdles. Enter the dopamine menu, a way to increase dopamine levels by engaging in activities that give you a boost right when you need it.
“A dopamine menu is an intentional inventory of sustainable self-care,” says Tiffany Petite, a social worker and co-founder of Calgary’s Virtuous Circle Counselling.
Petite regularly works with clients to hone their unique interests to help make life more enjoyable during daily responsibilities.
“It’s about throwing in a sprinkle that will enable you to be more successful at doing life,” she shares.
Like a restaurant menu, dopamine menus are divided into sections depending on the type and length of activity.
“Daily tasks are categorized by what’s more palatable and easier to do than others. You then choose what’s going to benefit you the most,” shares Borgland.
First, you create a list of activities that you know will boost your mood (without causing any regret). Then, you categorize the activities according to their length of time. The appetizer section of your dopamine menu might include activities such as stepping outside for a few minutes, having a cup of tea, petting your dog or listening to your favourite song. Main course activities take more time but provide a longer-lasting energy boost than appetizers. These could include exercise classes, dinner with a friend, working on a hobby, or journaling. Desserts provide a quick hit of dopamine, but they’re easy to regret, so you’ll want to tap into these activities in moderation. Binge-watching TV, social media consumption, playing video games alone and online shopping are all examples of occasional treats you could permit yourself to indulge in without overdoing it.
Menu sides refer to activities that can accompany tasks, making the job more stimulating to complete. Calling a friend while you tackle the housework or listening to a podcast while running errands are all effective ways of making uninteresting activities more palatable.
Dopamine menus require you to think about what fills your bucket and what you can do to make routine (or dreaded) tasks more enjoyable. This conscious awareness puts you back in the driver’s seat.
“People are doing dopamine-seeking activities without knowing they’re doing it (endless scrolling, taking drugs, gambling). There’s something enticing about asking yourself what activities truly give you fulfillment and fuel your batteries. And what are those activities that (you) can tailor around (your) schedule that will work instead of doing the things that are working against (you),” notes Petite.
Like at any restaurant, menus can change. Petite recommends treating it as a living document.
“It’s not one and done. We change, and we evolve, developing new interests and passions over time. Think of it like a pantry where every shelf has its purpose. Select items or replace them from the pantry as needed,” she advises.
Dopamine menus are not limited to those with ADHD or lower levels of dopamine. They’re ideal for anyone to use when you feel your life is out of balance or you’re no longer getting the same satisfaction with daily activities as you once did.
By purposefully focusing on your passions and what boosts your energy, you’ll be disrupting the cycle of how your thoughts and feelings might have led to draining, unproductive behaviours.
“That’s why these menus are helpful for people. You’re not just thinking about them; you’re taking action that makes you feel better,” avows Petite.