Tech life is fast. Whether you’re coding all day, jumping between meetings, or balancing exams and job apps, burnout creeps in. Self-care is absolutely vital in the fast-paced world of tech. Sometimes, even just thinking about what self-care to do (or honestly, what to do other than scrolling on social media) can be exhausting in itself.
That’s why we’re talking about a low-effort, high-reward self-care tool: the Dopamine Menu. It’s easy to build and personalize just for you.
The Dopamine Menu is “a list of dopamine-stimulating activities for different situations and needs” created by Jessica McCabe, an ADHD-focused YouTuber. Now, you don’t need to have ADHD for the dopamine menu to benefit you. In reality, it helps everyone just get a little taste of happiness in their day.
How? Dopamine is your brain’s feel-good chemical. It plays a key role in motivation, mood, and reward. When you intentionally choose activities that give you little hits of joy, you’re fueling your brain to keep going!
First things first: download our [official RTC Dopamine Menu] so you can fill it in as we walk through everything together.
Appetizers: Quick Bursts of Joy
First up on your menu are appetizers. These are quick little activities that give you a burst of energy (and dopamine) that help you get through your day.
These can be things like a quick walk, snuggling with your dog, meditation, making yourself a matcha latte, or even just doodling in a notebook.
These tasks should bring you happiness, that are a little mood boost when you’re feeling down.
Content Marketing Specialist Allison here to share with you what I have on my dopamine menu and explain a little bit about each:
- Stand out on my deck – working from home means I don’t always have a reason to go outside, even though I know it’s good for me. This helps with that!
- Make my bed – this small task is just a way to check something off my list that helps me feel like I’ve completed something (especially since I’m not the biggest fan of doing it) and prepares me for other tasks!
- Meditate – as an anxious girlie, meditation is my saving grace.
- Crochet a row or cross stitch a block – taking time away from a screen to work just a little bit on a current project is vital for me
Entrees: Full-Body Recharges
These are bigger projects that take up more time! These might take up to a few hours to do, but they are the things that really recharge you.
These can include things like going for a hike, baking bread, watching your favorite movie, or reading a good book.
Allison here, back again to share my own dopamine entrees:
- Build Legos/similar projects – I’m a big fan of legos or book nooks and building them just takes me away from the screens and allows me to relax.
- Go for a walk/hike at a local park – I mentioned above that I am inside a LOT, so things that get me outside for hours at a time are a must.
- Side-quests – I love to do a little side quest, which for me is visiting a new place, whether it’s a coffee shop, store, town, or even just a new park.
Sides: Comforts that Pair with Tasks
These are things that make doing hard tasks easier. They accompany things you might not want to do, or they just are nice with things that you do want to do!
Sides can include: listening to a podcast, lighting a candle, curling up in a soft blanket, or putting on your favorite show in the background.
Allison here again. My sides are a bit of all of my favorite things:
- Listening to an audiobook – I can’t do everything while listening to an audiobook (for example, writing this and listening to an audiobook would not have worked) but when I can multitask with an audiobook, I try to.
- Burn a candle – I’m obsessed with woodsy, pine smells, so I try to burn candles a few times a week to make me happy.
- Bike – I have a biking desk that I love to sit and bike at. It helps me feel like I’m moving more than just sitting around!
Desserts: In Moderation, Please
These are the things that are good in moderation, like social media, candy, and things like that. They aren’t things you want to do all of the time, but fun things to pepper into your life every once in a while.
Some examples of desserts for your dopamine menu include scrolling on social media, watching your favorite Twitch streamer, playing your favorite video game, and plenty of others!
You know the drill, here are my (Allison’s) dessert options:
- Social Media Scrolling – I’m a millennial, so my pick of the proverbial poison is Instagram (yes, I know I get the trends days/weeks/month later), but I could spend hours scrolling here if I don’t limit it.
- Ice cream – I have a sweet tooth and would eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I wanted. Ice cream is both a legitimate dessert and a dopamine dessert that hits the spot when I need it.
- World of Warcraft – I’m about 20 years too late for WoW, but I got interested in it last year and then proceeded to spend too much time playing it and not getting anything done. Therefore, I try to keep my WoW playing to a minimum.
Specials: Rare but Restorative
These are things that truly fill you up, but are either more expensive than you can afford regularly, or they just are out of reach a lot of the time. These can include spa trips, mani-pedis, a trip to your favorite theme park, and many other things.
Allison here (again) with my specials:
- Cape May New Jersey – As a Pennsylvanian who grew up going to Cape May each summer as a kid, there is nothing more restorative than going to my favorite place, even in the dead of winter with the bay frozen over.
- Full-Body Massage – When you find a massage therapist that works, hold them tight and don’t let go (except if you can’t afford it all of the time, then be like me and only go when you absolutely need it).
- Manicure – As a climber, I don’t go to get my nails done often, but when I do, it’s super restorative for me.
Taking a Bite Out of Your Menu
Now that you have your menu all fleshed out: how do you use it?
Your dopamine menu works best when it’s visible, whether that is on your wall, in your planner, or saved as your lock screen. When you start feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or low on energy, scan your menu and pick what’s right for you. In the middle of a workday, that might be an appetizer or a side, but a Saturday with nothing going on? An entrée would be perfect for you.
As you learn more about what fills your cup, your menu will evolve, and that’s completely normal! You’re learning more about yourself through this process.
What’s on Your Dopamine Menu?
Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to work for you. Whether your menu includes going for a run, burning candles, or a secret love of World of Warcraft (we see you), give yourself permission to recharge intentionally.
Download our RTC Dopamine Menu template and take five minutes to fill it out. If you’re feeling bold, share your menu in the Self-Care channel on Slack, where we’re all about inspiring each other to take better care of ourselves.