avatarVivek Naskar

Summary

An application developer shares their journey of personal growth during the lockdown, emphasizing the benefits of a dopamine detox for improved focus and productivity.

Abstract

The author, an application developer, reflects on the transformative impact of the lockdown on their lifestyle, detailing a journey of self-improvement that included reading, cooking, and acquiring new technical skills. They highlight the significance of managing dopamine levels through a 'dopamine detox' to enhance concentration and efficiency, drawing parallels with intermittent fasting for mental health. The detox involves abstaining from distractions like social media and streaming services, leading to increased energy for productive activities and a heightened ability to learn. The article also touches on the value of deep work in a world filled with distractions and suggests that controlling dopamine can lead to a more fulfilling and productive life.

Opinions

  • The author believes that the lockdown provided an unexpected opportunity for personal development and lifestyle changes.
  • They express that constant phone and social media use can be detrimental to one's productivity and self-honesty.
  • The article suggests that small habit changes, as discussed in James Clear's 'Atomic Habits,' can lead to significant positive outcomes.
  • The author is a proponent of dopamine detoxing, viewing it as a beneficial practice akin to intermittent fasting for mental health.
  • They advocate for the importance of deep work and focus in today's fast-paced world, suggesting that these are key to getting ahead professionally.
  • The author values the role of reading and learning new skills in personal growth and recommends a dopamine detox to facilitate this process.
  • They disclose that some links in the post are affiliate links, emphasizing that their recommendations are based on quality rather than financial incentive.
  • The author encourages readers to consider subscribing for more content that promotes learning and improvement in life and work.

Much Needed Dopamine Detox Helped Me Cope With Problems I Never Thought I Had

You won’t realize the benefits until you try.

Photo by Midas Hofstra on Unsplash

It’s been 18 months since the first lockdown was announced. A lot of things had to change due to the mandatory imposition to safeguard the lives of the people.

School teachers had to adapt and change to the new format of teaching via zoom calls. Senior doctors were required to consult with patients suffering from minor fevers or minor ailments via phones, dedicated apps, or video calls. I work as an application developer for a banking firm, and since we work with PII data, never in my life would I have thought that we would be allowed to take our systems and work from the comforts of our homes.

I planned to return to my parents’ home so that I wouldn’t have to stay and work in solitude. I also missed my parents and was worried about their health. I have been living with them ever since and I cannot be more grateful for making the decision to come back home.

Since then, I have been experimenting with a lot of things that would improve my life for the better. I started reading books again that I stopped some years ago due to not having enough time. However, I believe that’s just an excuse. I also created a GoodReads account so that I can track my love for books. I started cooking and became decently good at it. I started researching and learning new technical skills such as cloud computing and blockchain technology. In fact, it was in the lockdown period that I started writing on Medium and it actually changed my life.

As you can already tell, I started the self-improvement journey at the beginning of my lockdown period, I started buying new books and reading them. I found the book Atomic Habits by James Clear on building habits where he empathised on bringing small changes in our behaviour that would result in positive intended results.

Some of the books I have read. Photo by the Author.

Reading this book also made me realise that I had not been honest with myself and had not been making the best use of my time. Because I was constantly checking my phone for messages, checking my Twitter feeds, or mindlessly browsing through my Instagram explore page.

If I am not doing office work, I will surely click on different notifications sent by Netflix, Disney+, or Prime Video while checking my emails. Instead of spending 2 to 4 hours each day, this time might have been spent learning new skills or reading books.

Mails like these from OTT platforms are a major productivity killer. Photo by the Author.

The ability to retain your focus and have periods of deep work is extremely valuable and sought after in today’s fast-paced busy world. People who can cut out distractions and deeply focus on their work and develop valuable skills will get ahead, which is why we need to control our dopamine levels.

Dopamine is what pulls us towards activities that aren’t really productive or helpful in any way, and we need to control our dopamine levels. I tried the dopamine detox for a week and trust me, it helped a lot, especially for my mental health. It helped me to focus on things more efficiently without any distractions.

Dopamine detox is like intermittent fasting. Just like intermittent fasting has several health benefits, dopamine detox has many mental benefits. Cutting away from all the noise while working on my tasks, reading books, or learning new skills helped me to work more productively and absorb new things faster.

There are several benefits to doing a dopamine detox, such as wanting to try new things and developing new interests, as well as having more energy to concentrate on productive activities and improving your craft as a result of doing a dopamine detox.

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

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Mental Health
Dopamine Detox
Self Improvement
Life
Self
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