Make Your Damn Bed

You haven't peaked. You haven't plateaued. You aren't "cooked" or "spent" or "done". You may actually be suffering from something called "hurry sickness" and it can be managed with some conscious effort.

Originally posted on day 1375

Stage 1 – Honeymoon

Initial commitment and excitement to engage in tasks. For example, when you first start your journey in a new activism group.

Stage 2 – Onset of stress

Common symptoms of stress start being felt, such as fatigue, lower productivity and sleep disturbances.

Stage 3 – Chronic Stress

Lack of motivation + more intense symptoms felt on a very frequent basis. At this stage, bad habits such as smoking, drinking etc may begin

Stage 4 – Burnout

Difficulty even to cope with the minimum of daily tasks. Everything seems dull and ugly, and the person starts feeling either numb or else always overwhelmed.

Stage 5 – Habitual burnout

Symptoms of burnout become incorporated into normal life and person experiences chronic fatigue, depression and apathy.

Instead of trying to get rid of dopamine, focus on stepping away from habits and behaviors that no longer serve you.

How to stop scrolling.

• Start from where you are.
• Recognize what is a systemic issue.
• Practice "deciding" with intention when scrolling.
• Practice staying focused and catching yourself when you get distracted on your phone.
• Decouple your association of "dopamine" with "scrolling.
• Practice the standard addiction coping strategies: Make the desired habits more accessible + attractive. Make the habit you'd like to change less attractive + accessible.
• Practice mindful breathing work while you scroll.
• Practice ENGAGING with what you consume, instead of mindlessly consuming.
• Remember problem isn't the dopamine, it's typically the source... so make the sources you'd rather engage with more accessible + attractive for yourself.

You don't have to climb out of the hole today - but you can celebrate the fact that you finally stopped digging.

Why would you want to disconnect from your joy, when trying to restore your sense of joy?

You can't go on a T-break for pleasure. Instead, focus on the modifying the way you get your pleasure, instead of eliminating the pleasure itself.

Dopamine is just one neurotransmitter responsible for our sense of pleasure + joy. We can't and shouldn't want to detox our dopamine levels. Dopamine is essential to motivating us to do everything from moving our bodies, to sleeping properly. This is why people with dopamine issues, depression, ADHD, etc. often struggle with physical and executive functioning.

The problem isn't the dopamine, it's typically the source.