Dopamine Loading Strategy

Overview

This lecture explains the concept of "dopamine loading" as a strategy to improve focus, productivity, and enjoyment in student life by managing dopamine spikes throughout the day.

Dopamine and Productivity

• Dopamine is a brain chemical that affects motivation and pleasure.
• High dopamine activities (e.g., phone use, social media, junk food) cause large dopamine spikes.
• After a spike, dopamine drops, making it difficult to focus on less stimulating tasks like studying.
• Cycling between high and low dopamine states leads to boredom, procrastination, and poor focus.

The Dopamine Loading Technique

• Avoid high dopamine activities (phone, video games, processed food) at the start of the day.
• Begin the day with low-dopamine routines: shower, sunlight, basic hygiene.
• Delay breakfast or eat a low-carbohydrate meal at lunch to avoid sugar-induced dopamine spikes.
• Use the school day for focused study without distractions such as phones or social media.
• High-dopamine activities (Netflix, anime, high-carb dinner) are scheduled only after all major work is complete.
• This pattern maintains focus during the day and reserves fun activities as a reward at night.

Sample Daily Schedule (During Exams)

• 7:30 a.m.: Wake up, shower, morning routine (no phone or stimulating activities).
• 8:00–11:00 a.m.: Complete high-priority task (e.g., a past paper).
• 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: Gym (no loud music), then lunch and socializing.
• 2:00–7:00 p.m.: Final work block (e.g., another past paper).
• 7:00–10:00 p.m.: Dinner (high-carb) and leisure (anime, reading, etc.).

Key Points for Implementation

• Delay all high-dopamine activities until the evening.
• Do hardest, most important tasks first while dopamine is steady and low.
• Use natural dopamine boosts (exercise, sunlight, socializing), not artificial ones.
• Fun activities feel more enjoyable and work feels less burdensome with this schedule.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Dopamine — A brain chemical (neurotransmitter) related to motivation, reward, and pleasure.
• Dopamine spike — A sudden increase in dopamine from stimulating activities (e.g., social media, junk food).
• Artificial dopamine — Dopamine increases from unnatural sources like screens or highly processed foods.
• Dopamine loading — Scheduling all high-dopamine activities at the end of the day to improve productivity.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Try delaying all high-dopamine activities until evening.
• Begin your day with low-stimulation routines and focus on study tasks first.
• Prepare low-carb meals for breakfast and lunch; save higher-carb meals for dinner.
• Reflect on your daily routine and adjust to minimize early dopamine spikes.