{"id":265,"date":"2026-02-02T11:21:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T11:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thegrowthportfolio.nl\/?p=265"},"modified":"2026-02-02T16:00:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T16:00:44","slug":"the-dopamine-menu-a-tool-to-disconnect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thegrowthportfolio.nl\/?p=265","title":{"rendered":"The Dopamine Menu: A tool to Disconnect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Dopamine Menu: A Tool to Disconnect <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To be honest, I still struggle a lot with phone use. I know social media will not make me any happier, in fact, it takes away precious time I\u2019d prefer to actually <\/em>spend with my friends. I haven\u2019t had Tiktok in about three years, and only have access to Instagram on my computer. Still, I find myself spending way more time than I\u2019d like on my phone\/on a screen apart from school\/work. A little while back, I came across a YouTube video on the concept of a \u2018Dopamine Menu\u2019, <\/em>as a way to combat this addiction. In this blog, I\u2019ll take you through the method!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This blog is inspired by a video titled \u2018How To End Doomscrolling By Making A Dopamine Menu!\u2019. (<\/em>https:\/\/youtu.be\/spR_TGowWGc?si=ApQjL5E2IReVWrWU<\/em><\/a>) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The concept in short<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A \u2018Dopamine menu\u2019 <\/em>is a list of non-scrolling related activities that will boost your dopamine. It strives to replace mindless phone use with real-life experiences that will make you happier in the short- and long term. Creating your own menu forces you to think of activities actually bringing you joy, writing them down and displaying them, helps you de-prioritize scrolling.\u00a0 The \u2018menu\u2019 <\/em>aspect is related to the set-up of the list, which categories tasks by their duration and required effort.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appetizers <\/em>and Entrees <\/em>are less demanding tasks which can be done in 30 minutes maximum. Mains <\/em>require more effort to start, but in turn will be more rewarding. Sides <\/em>act as motivation boosters for other tasks on your to-do list. Finally, Specials <\/em>are items that will boost dopamine a lot more than others, but aren’t always a viable option because of time\/money constraints. However, planning them can act as motivation to complete other tasks, as they are something to look forward to!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When finished, your personal dopamine menu should be displayed in a visible (digital) area, where it can serve to remind you to substitute phone\/screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An example of a dopamine menu:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Exemplary Items to Include:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Dopamine Menu <\/em>should be personal to you, however, getting started can be hard. I’ve included some examples to give you inspiration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Appetizers [~5 min]<\/p>\n\n\n\n