Addiction – And What I’m Doing About it

Starting February 1, I will be going through a dopamine reset. This is Dr. Lembke’s 30-day dopamine reset, as referenced in her book “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” Every day, I will abstain from technology and games – things that have become my default way of calming myself down in this political, economic, and work climate. But here’s the thing, my addiction does not actually calm me down; they make me numb by giving me frictionless (arguably, meaningless) momentary rewards. So, during the month of February, I will do hard things, and I will be posting weekly about my progress, regressions, and struggles. Wish me luck. Below is the plan.

Step 1: Name the problem: Tech addiction is my drug of choice.

1. I have easy access at all times
2. There is an infinite quantity of content and rabbit holes
3. Because the internet is endless, I lose complete track of everything (including time and focus – two very precious things)
4. Also, because I never reach an end, there is always a need to continue – to find the information treasure or the one story, meme, or video that makes it all worth it.
5. Lastly, I play a game on my phone that is clearly built on Addictive principles, as it reinforces constant use for points that have no real meaning.

Step 2: Name the plan: Undergo Dopamine Addiction Rewiring

During my Dopamine Reset.

1. I will upregulate dopamine by improving on:
   • Deliberate Exercise – Success Measure: Minimum 3x a week
   • Meditation: 10 minutes daily – Boredom is not bad
   • Overall: Reinvesting in things that are hard
2. To do this, I will:
   • Remove all browsers from my personal laptops
   • This week: I will count my baselines (daily time on tech)
   • Remove instagram and games from my phone
   • Identify & remove triggers that create my need for technology
   • Shut my work computer down by 7pm
   • Use the brick.app to ensure I stay off my phone at the wrong times
   • Turn off all technology 1 hour before bed
   • Dedicate a minimum of 1 hour to learning
   • Switch to grayscale on all devices
3. Who is going to hold me accountable:
   • My Partner
   • You (Posting here will keep me honest)

My goal is to reduce my Dopamine Deficit, which makes me susceptible to Addiction.

Buckle up. February should be interesting.