Overview
This lecture explains the concept of dopamine loading to boost academic focus and productivity, providing actionable steps to structure your day for better study results and enjoyment.
The Problem with Dopamine Spikes
- Many students start their day with high-dopamine activities like phone scrolling, causing a spike followed by a crash.
- Low dopamine states after these spikes make focusing on study tasks much harder.
- Fluctuating between high and low dopamine makes it difficult to sustain concentration.
- Artificial dopamine sources (social media, junk food, porn) cause unhealthy dopamine peaks and deep troughs, harming productivity.
Dopamine Loading Technique
- Begin the day with neutral or low-stimulation activities (shower, sunlight, brushing teeth).
- Avoid high-dopamine activities (phone, video games, junk food) in the morning and during work/study periods.
- Delay high-dopamine rewards until after the productive tasks are complete.
- Eat low-carbohydrate meals before or during study; save higher-carb meals for the evening.
- Spend the evening (after work is done) on high-dopamine activities like watching shows, socializing, or playing games.
Daily Routine Example
- Morning: Wake up, shower, morning routine, get sunlight, no phone usage.
- 8:00–11:00 a.m.: Focus on hardest study tasks (e.g., past papers).
- 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: Exercise (no headphones or distractions), then lunch with friends.
- 2:00–7:00 p.m.: Final work block (studying, assignments).
- 7:00–10:00 p.m.: Dinner (carbs allowed), then leisure activities like TV, anime, or reading.
Key Takeaways
- Do all challenging work before giving yourself rewarding, high-dopamine activities.
- Your brain handles difficult tasks better when it’s not recovering from an artificial dopamine spike.
- Saving fun activities for the evening makes it easier to focus during the day and gives you something to look forward to.
- Repetition of this schedule forms a habit, making both study and relaxation more enjoyable.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Dopamine — a brain chemical linked to pleasure, motivation, and reward.
- Dopamine Spike — a sudden increase in dopamine caused by pleasurable activities (e.g., social media, junk food).
- Artificial Dopamine — dopamine from unnatural sources like phone scrolling, junk food, etc.
- Dopamine Loading — delaying high-dopamine activities until after productive work to improve focus and motivation.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Try starting tomorrow with no phone or high-dopamine activities until after your main work is done.
- Plan to do your hardest study tasks first thing in the morning.
- Save social media, junk food, and entertainment for after your study/work blocks.
- Consider adjusting meal types (lower carbs during study, higher carbs in the evening).