The Rise Of Dopamine Culture
Have you noticed how your attention span has been affected in the last 10 years? How we consume information and experiences so fast we barely even feel them? This is the rise of dopamine culture.
Do you find it harder to concentrate on a book or do deep work?
Do you feel distracted and unable to stick to one experience at a time?
Do you find yourself consuming more and more information?
We mindlessly "scroll" past our lives, seeking a fleeting dopamine kick. But with dopamine, the higher the high, the lower the low. So each consequent experience can never produce the same joy or excitement. This leaves us addicted to more, faster, shorter and shallower experiences.
The antidote to all this is mindful awareness and it's a skill we can cultivate:
Take information breaks
Take some time every single day where you do absolutely nothing. Nothing to consume, nothing to read, nothing to produce, nothing to manage. Just time for free thinking. Sounds easy but for most leaders it's actually quite challenging!
Choose the slow way
Wherever possible, consider the slow way. Instead of only reading snippets of news, read a long form article, instead of watching a sport or the highlights invest time in playing the actual sport, instead of watching reels on social media, watch a film.
Practice mindfulness
The ultimate focus, joy and productivity tool that is free and accessible to you at any time. Just 5 minutes a day of focused attention practice can rewire the brain at surprising levels. Start by focusing on an anchor: your breath, a sensation in your body (such as the feet on the ground or your hands), or sounds. Whenever attention wanders, bring it back to your anchor with no judgement.
Feel the feelings
Whenever you experience something positive, focus your attention on the emotions and body sensations. Don't let it slip away. Allow yourself to bathe in the experience and relish what you feel. This will enhance neural networks and train your brain to fully experience positive experiences in the future.