The concept of the “dopamine menu” is something I’ve been hearing a lot quite often–but the concept itself isn’t new. Do you know that feeling when you’re feeling meh and just need that small push? That is simply the whole concept behind the dopamine menu, or as they say dopamenu.
For me, the easiest and most enjoyable thing is making a cup of coffee, especially for my ADHD brain, it gives me that dopamine hit that I need. But sometimes I have already had two or three coffees, and that is when I need to dig in my dopamine menu for another reasonable option.
Just two months ago, I started my first job in the corporate world–after running from it by doing a master’s degree abroad and several training programs. Although I haven’t been in the corporate world for long, I realized how important it is to have a dopamine menu when you have a highly demanding full-time job.
Why a Dopamine Menu is Important in Corporate Life
In the fast-paced corporate world, burnout and stress are common. Suppose we’re not careful enough (as I see myself already going in this direction). In that case, we can fall into the trap of relying on easy but unfulfilling dopamine hits like uncontrolled scrolling on social media, binge-watching TV or even stress eating, which can easily lead to burnout.
The dopamine menu offers a structured way to combat this by incorporating breaks and self-care into the workday that feels good and enjoyable… This could be taking a brief walk, stretching, or yapping with a coworker that you like to break up the monotony of work.
When you have a bunch of activities set in your dopamine menu, you will be less likely to reply to those short bursts of unproductive behavior that drain you over time.
Tips for Building Your Corporate Dopamine Menu
- Start small: add quick activities to your daily routine. These are the activities that don’t take effort and can be relied on a few times in a day. It could be something as simple as a coffee break or listening to your favorite song.
- Entreé: these are the longer activities that you probably need to schedule time for. Think of them as the things you look forward to in your day. It could schedule time for a certain hobby you like or a fitness class after work to rewind.
- Dessert: As we all know, even though sugar is not necessarily ‘good’ for us in some sense, moderation is key–and that’s why social media and TV are our desserts on the dopamine menu.
- Sides: sides are when you need to tackle a less exciting task like going through your mailbox and replying to emails, you can pair it with something you enjoy, like playing background music.
By intentionally creating a dopamine menu, you are giving yourself options to look forward to during your day. You understand how your brain works and that we normally need some dopamine hits during the day, and it doesn’t have to come from things like social media.
Having a dopamine menu when in the corporate world makes it even more important; it helps prevent burnout and ensures you are nurturing your mental well-being while working on your career!