Dopamine Detox : A Short Guide to Remove Distractions and Train Your Brain to Do Hard Things (Productivity Series Book 1)

by Thibaut Meurisse

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which makes us anticipate rewards such as having sexual relationships or eating nourishing food. Dopamine gives us the desire to take action to earn the exciting reward that’s waiting for us. It is the force that makes us act.

Contrary to what many people believe, dopamine is not a pleasure chemical. Simply because an event triggers the release of dopamine doesn’t mean it is something we like or get pleasure from. In fact, when you pay close attention, you’ll notice that as soon as you obtain the expected reward, you’ll often feel empty and unfulfilled.

Are you currently addicted to anything? If you can’t spend a day without engaging in a certain activity, it means you’re probably a little addicted to it.

Is this true?

create two columns, “Cans” and “Can’ts”.

This aligns with how i naturay think.

Adding friction might sound overly simple, but it works. This is because, as humans, we’re fundamentally lazy. We hate wasting energy unless we are forced to. If you need to go to another room to grab your phone (friction #1) and also need to turn it on (friction #2), you are less likely to do it for a while. After I put my internet modem in my storage room, to get it back I needed to:

Conversely, make your desired behaviors as frictionless as possible.

If you have any problems or worries, write them down alongside potential solutions. Just putting your thoughts on paper can help you declutter your mind and gain clarity. This is because it’s difficult to address thoughts that stay in your mind. You tend to ruminate on them. On the other hand, writing them down makes them more concrete. It helps clarify your thinking. By giving words to your thoughts (or worries), you can address them more easily.

If you’re still unsure, ask yourself this question: If I could complete only one task today before taking a month off, what would that task be?

Get this as second nature

Be at the same place, at the same time every day

Choose a trigger As you create your routine, choose a specific trigger. It could be making tea and sitting at your desk. Or it could be completing your meditation session. Try to select a trigger that will help calm your mind. When you are relaxed, you’ll find it easier to begin work.

Again, the more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to focus. So, just get started and don’t worry about completing your task perfectly. It’s okay if you don’t feel motivated or creative, taking action will generate motivation and stimulate your creativity.

The key is to trust your mind and body

To learn more on how to develop laser-sharp focus, refer to book three in this series, Powerful Focus.

you should strive to design closed systems. What are closed systems? These are systems that offer little or no room for distractions. As a result, they force you to work on your task—and only on it. Some examples are Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, or PowerPoint presentations. These days, I strive to open the file for the book I’m currently writing, before doing anything else on my computer. I also avoid checking my phone. In other words, I start my day with a closed system, and I encourage you to do the same. When you begin your working day with a closed system, you can avoid becoming overstimulated, which will make it easier for you to work on challenging tasks. And as you do so each day, you’ll feel better and will want to work on even more tasks. So, perhaps one of the biggest secrets to overcoming procrastination and becoming more productive is to start your day with a closed system. This way, you can avoid countless distractions. Remember, what you do first thing in the morning matters far more than you think. Just one tiny decision can have a dramatic effect on your day’s productivity.

2. Understand the battle between you and your mind When it happens to you, the key is to accept it and avoid feeling guilty. Beating yourself up won’t help you build a successful daily routine. It will only make things worse. Therefore, don’t dwell on it. Don’t feel guilty or ashamed of yourself. Simply restart your routine and do it one day at a time.

When you reclaim your focus and use it to achieve your biggest goals, you can transform your life radically. You can make more money by channeling your focus into great work, and you can increase your well-being by redirecting it toward more meaningful activities (i.e., spending time with your family and friends or engaging in your favorite hobbies).

In Book 4, Strategic Mindset, you’ll refine your critical thinking skills and develop a crystal-clear strategy that will help you skyrocket your productivity.