It’s one of many harsh realities that most of us feel stuck in our lives. You have many dreams and are desperate to achieve your goals, but feelings of uncertainty overshadow them and make your dreams hazy. You are not alone; according to some studies, more than 70 percent of people feel the same. It can be due to their personal problems or professional challenges. I am here to share valuable tips that can enable you to live a fulfilling life without feeling stuck.
By Fazilat
The abundance of information that is available nowadays has both pros and cons: it can make you feel extremely enthusiastic, or you just feel more lost. You may feel that you don’t have enough energy and sufficient knowledge or, in simple words, know-how about the field you want to become successful in. You may be surprised if I tell you that’s absolutely wrong; what you are missing is your explicit focus. You can regain your ability to focus more precisely with the help of a dopamine detox.
Dopamine is made naturally by the brain, but things like alcohol, caffeine, sugar, social media, video games, and substance use can lead to increased dopamine levels and convert these into addictions. Dopamine detox helps to maintain the level of dopamine in the body. The process of a dopamine detox involves restricting yourself from activities or pleasures that produce dopamine, hence decreasing the drive for quick rewards.
According to various surveys, on average, people have three devices. For example, an iPhone, an iPad, and a laptop, or two phones and a laptop. It doesn’t seem like much if you are tackling multiple tasks. However, each device has a notification bell that can be both a blessing and a curse. I find it extremely helpful if I keep only one screen in front of me, such as my laptop. Self-discipline is harder than most people think, but it’s more rewarding as well. Having one screen means no iPad and no iPhone.
Designate your working hours and keep other devices in airplane mode. Also, designate a small amount of time for distractions, talking to friends, and reading whatever you want to read. Allowing yourself to be distracted for a while will help to keep your focus concentrated during your working hours.
What works for me is a seven-day reset plan that adjusts my dopamine levels tangibly. You will feel a significant difference by the end of day seven, and you will also notice a change in your perspective on how you see the things and issues around you. It’s my best dopamine detox strategy. Once you do it, then your mind and body will learn to maintain a balance between focused hours and distraction breaks during the next few weeks.
It may not work for you, but it will definitely help in finding a middle ground for your dopamine detox. Some people can get their detox by changing their lifestyle, but pressing a hard reset button by controlling screens works well for me. Resetting your dopamine level increases your capacity to focus which eventually increases your output levels.
Over the course of the next seven days, you have to do the following things:
1. Limited phone screen time
Limit your phone screen time to just one hour daily: set a timer or add your screen time as a widget on your home screen if your phone has this feature. Consider this time as a treat to yourself for the next seven days. If your work involves frequent use of WhatsApp, I suggest you open the app on your desktop. As compared to using it on the phone, it will be a lot more focused and purposeful.
2. No YouTube for a week
YouTube is an extremely valuable place if used correctly, but it can be manipulative as well. In your brain, you would say, I am watching learning videos. However, in reality, you haven’t accomplished anything yet, because you are just watching, not applying what you learned. During the hard reset dopamine detox for a week, no YouTube at all, then integrate in a more controlled and limited amount after the week. Sometimes the abundance of knowledge makes it harder to consume the right content; you have to be more vigilant.
3. No adult content
Many studies have already proven the side effects of adult content. Seven-day training will make you realize it wasn’t adding as much value to your life as you thought. Stop following such content; just hit “not interested” and mute such notifications and reels, etc.
4. Meditate daily
Just add 10 minutes of meditation into your daily routine. If you would like to and can do more, all well and good; enjoy it. If not, 10 minutes is good enough as a beginner. I want you to feel a sense of accomplishment and winning. Ten minutes of meditation will make you feel so much more grounded, even in challenging situations. In fact, you will be able to compose and focus on your surroundings, allowing you to respond calmly and effectively to any obstacles or difficulties that arise. People often find meditation hard, but after passing the first day, they actually start enjoying it.
Following these steps for seven days to reset your brain will enable you to see things differently around you. With limited use of the phone, no YouTube, no adult content, and daily meditation, you will find there are a lot of things that are more enjoyable compared to what you watch on phone screens, like the view from your window or just walking around the neighborhood. You will learn to appreciate little things that you didn’t even notice earlier. If things don’t go as you want to, it’s okay. Syeda Juveria Afreen has beautifully explained “How to stay positive when plans don’t work out”.
What this dopamine detox does is stimulate your brain enough to let you distinguish what you actually enjoy and what you were missing: lack of energy, or lack of focus as I mentioned earlier. You need more focus, and in order to have more focus in your life, you need to be able to derive enjoyment from just the simple things. A seven-day reset will enable you to gain this perspective.
Now the question arises: what will you do after these seven days?
This is the beginning of a long-term change. After this training week, integrate the things that you were avoiding in a more controlled way. Instead of unintentionally scrolling on YouTube and Instagram, be mindful of what you are consuming. This dopamine detox will highlight the areas of improvement in your lifestyle. Remember, focus is the prime factor in living more mindfully, and you need both to optimize your life and achieve your goals.
About the writer
Fazilat is a wordsmith, enthusiastic researcher, reader, writer, teacher, and avid traveler. She is ardent about promoting positivity and loves to share her experiences to help people live fulfilling lives.
Get in touch with her at fazilatmubeen@gmail.com or through her Instagram @fazilatmubeen and LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/fazilat-mubeen-330629249/
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January/February 2024 | Life Lovers Magazine.
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