We often procrastinate things even if they are important. On some days we are mentally drained and it’s okay to rest on such days. However, if you find yourself in a loop and cannot stop procrastinating, then there is a high chance you need a dopamine detox.
In the book Dopamine Detox by Thibaut Meurisse, he shares how being overly stimulated is one of the main reasons why we procrastinate. Let’s understand what dopamine detox is and how you can stop procrastinating.
How Can A Dopamine Detox Help You Stop Procrastinating
A dopamine detox is letting go of any bad habit that gives you pleasure. It includes habits such as smoking, mindlessly scrolling through your phone, consuming alcohol or drugs, sugar, and much more.
While the release of dopamine does give you pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation, an overstimulation of dopamine can cause fatigue, and lower your focus levels and attention span.
You may have noticed that when you do something that gives you pleasure, you enjoy it at the moment, but soon you begin to crave it again. This loop causes you to procrastinate as you run behind the short-term pleasure.
Detoxifying your mind from such simulations will make you feel calm and relaxed. Moreover, it will help you regain focus. The book “Dopamine Detox” suggests three detox methods which are:
a) 24 Hour Detox
b) 48 Houts Detox
c) Partial Detox
In the 24-hour detox, you must avoid everything that releases dopamine such as electronic devices, alcohol, drugs, exercising, smoking, sugar, etc for 24 hours. Similarly, you must do the same for 48 hours of detox.
While this may seem harsh, and boring, this helps remove all distractions and allows you to put all your focus on your task. Additionally, you can practise mindfulness during this time.
In partial detox, you must reduce the amount of time you expose yourself to dopamine-releasing activities. For example, if your screen time is 6 hours, reduce it to 4 or less, and lower it over time. This will still help you improve your focus, concentration, and productivity.
I suggest starting with partial detox as there is a lower chance of withdrawal symptoms for people suffering from an addiction. Moreover, you are more likely to follow through it.
Ways To Stop Procrastinating
1. Build A Morning Routine
When you wake up in the morning, your mind is fresh. Hence, you must utilise this time by doing something productive. Ensure that you avoid any activity that can distract you, for example, don’t use your phone as soon as you wake up. Instead, start your day with one task. I suggest you pick a task you find the most difficult, as once you complete it, it will give you a sense of accomplishment.
Also read: 7 Morning Habits To Help You Stay Productive
2. Create A To-Do List
Creating a to-do list will help you plan your day. Moreover, it will help you put your focus on completing your work and can help limit distractions.
3. Create a workflow
Plan your work in a way that helps create a flow. One task should lead to another and it is suggested to complete the most challenging task first as it will help you feel productive and will motivate you to complete your other tasks.
Additionally, you must ensure to prioritise your tasks, if you are having trouble doing so, take some time to analyse what is important and work towards it.
4. Create Long-term goals
An important step you must take to stop procrastinating is to create a long-term goal, you may also create smaller goals that will help you reach your primary goal. However, you must ensure you set attainable goals.
Read more: 8 Ways Of Setting Goals To Achieve Success
5. Stay Consistent
To stay consistent, create a routine and stick to it. It takes time to build into a routine and follow it. You must stay consistent and committed to achieving your goals be it long or short term.
How To Avoid Distractions?
A harsh truth about today’s world is we are tempted by distractions, and easily get influenced by our surroundings. For example, you may be working on a project, and a notification makes you glance at your phone, and you end up endlessly scrolling through videos.
It is very easy to get distracted. Hence, here are some ways you can avoid distractions.
1. Add Friction
In the book mentioned above, the author suggests that our minds are lazy, and we can take advantage of this by adding friction. For example, if you get distracted by notifications on your phone, you can turn off notifications and switch off your mobile device. Moreover, you can keep it in another room.
Now, to access your mobile phone, you will have to go to another room, switch it on, change the notification settings, and it seems like a lot of work. Hence, the more friction you add, the more likely you are to not get distracted.
2. Work With Focus & Concentration
Before you start working, make sure your mind is calm. For this, you can do something that helps you relax such as meditating, doodling, having a cup of tea or coffee, etc. Now since your mind is calm and relaxed, you can focus on the task at hand. Moreover, stay way from distractions and work with concentration.
3. Follow A Direction
Set directions toward your goals and ensure that you follow them. For example, – if your goal is to be rich by learning to invest in the stock market, then you must create a pathway to follow. This pathway should include from where you will start, and how you will proceed forward. Moreover, you can add deadlines for these short-term goals to help you stay consistent.
Conclusion
A dopamine detox can help you regain your focus, attention, and concentration. You can follow a 24-hour, 48-hour, or partial detox to detoxify your brain from the stimulation you get from the release of dopamine.
Once, you have successfully regained your focus, you can work towards your goals by fixing a routine, creating a to-do list, creating a workflow, and long-term goals, and staying consistent.
Nonetheless, in today’s time, we easily get distracted and influenced by our surroundings. To eliminate distractions one can add friction, work with focus and concentration, follow a definite path, and practise the art of meditation to help them concentrate better.