Why “Dopamine Detox” Doesn’t Work (Do This Instead)

As some of you know, I have been preparing to (re)launch my YouTube channel and the first video is live. So this week, I’ve included a transcript as our Tuesday article. Feel free to read or watch. Whatever works best for you! If you’d like to support us, please watch the full video (just 7 minutes)! 🙏

The Dopamine Detox has been all the rage: Give up the pings and the social and lock your phone in a drawer and live like a monk. But what if I told you that’s not only unrealistic, it’s not even how dopamine works?

I’m Jenae from Productivity Stacks and I have studied and coached on evidence-based productivity for well over a decade.

Today we’re myth-busting the whole dopamine detox trend and showing you how to get the results everyone actually wants without deleting social media or pretending you don’t have a smartphone.

Because for most of us (freelancers, business owners, even parents or people with far-away friends), deleting social media isn’t an option.

But that doesn’t mean we’re stuck being slaves to it either.

More Actionable Breakdowns Below 👇

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The productivity tool I didn't know I was missing

By now you've probably seen me mention Shortform a few times. So let me tell you about the part that changed how I work.

My old reading system:

• Add books to my list

• Read the ones that seem urgent

• Take notes (when I remember) 

• Promptly forget everything I read

• Repeat

The problem: Even books I loved just... disappeared from my brain. I'd recommend them to people and struggle to remember the key points. I read a LOT of books by Audible and it’s not easy to take notes that way.

What's different now:

Shortform is basically my external brain for everything I've read. When I finish a book I loved, I go straight to their guide and:

• See if I missed anything important

• Get their analysis connecting it to other books/research

• Save their guide as my permanent notes

Example: Someone asks me about habit formation. I wanted to give some habit stacking examples but instead of trying to remember exactly the ones from Atomic Habits, I pulled up Shortform's guide. It's all there—organized, scannable, with the research context I would've wanted to include anyway.

The part I didn't expect: I reference these guides MORE than I ever referenced my own notes. Because their contributors literally add the insights I would have made myself.

It's like having really good notes on every book you've read, except you didn't have to take them.

Right now just for you guys: $50 OFF the annual plan by using https://shortform.com/express

More Actionable Breakdowns

Did you miss one of our previous breakdowns? Here are some you might find helpful.

Future-Proofing You: Adapting to Thrive in the Age of Distraction

Are you constantly battling between productivity and distraction in the digital age? As a business owner or freelancer, your smartphone is your lifeline, but could it also be hindering your success? Discover how the digital revolution is rewiring our brains and transforming our behavior. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to master your digital tools and unleash your full potential in the modern business landscape.

Think Smarter, Not Harder: How to Implement Lessons Learned For Business Growth According to Neuroscience

Your daily experiences, interactions, and projects are shaping your mind and influencing your success. By understanding how your brain decides what to remember, forget, and transform into core skills, you can harness the power of experiential learning to skyrocket your business and optimize your life. Learn how to train your brain the right way to think smarter, not harder.

How “Vacation Mode” Unlocks Your Prioritization Ninja (Hint: it’s not about self-care)

I have to admit that I don’t remember where I read the actual term “vacation mode” for the first time but suffice it to say I did not invent it. We could even call it the “vacation phenomenon”. I know most think of “vacation mode” as that feeling of being on vacation and that’s not what I mean here…but whatever you want to call it, I am capitalizing on it now and it also just came up in a discussion in virtual coworking in the inner circle. PLUS, the great news is you don’t need a postponed wedding to use this trick…So let’s get to it. 💪

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I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :)