We are living in a highly distracting society. Numerous distractions, such as social media, constant notifications, and daily negative news, steal our attention. I believe that one of the biggest sources of distraction is our phones. We use our phones to communicate with friends and family, take pictures, study for tests, and do many other things. In today’s society, it is almost impossible to live without phones, don’t you agree?
Yet, don’t you also feel like your phone constantly distracts you, making it difficult to complete important tasks or even making you feel bored when doing something other than using your phone? If so, you may be experiencing a dopamine hijack. In this article, I would like to share how dopamine detox, or in other words, digital detox, significantly improved my life.
My attention has increased
Before, I used to get bored easily with tasks that required my attention for a long period, such as reading books or studying. One reason behind this is that our phones constantly provide stimulation, causing us to release dopamine repeatedly and gradually shortening our attention span.
As a result, we easily procrastinate by using our phones instead of completing important tasks, and this can even affect our future by preventing us from achieving our dreams through repeated procrastination. However, after I started my dopamine detox, I was able to focus on simple tasks for much longer than before.
For example, I could complete my assignments more efficiently without craving for constant stimulation from my phone. Since I started procrastinating less, I also gained more free time, which allowed me to try new things and expand my potential.
1. My sensitivity has increased
I used to be a very sensitive person, and this made me love art, such as drawing and watching movies. This sensitivity deepened my imagination and creativity as I enjoyed artistic hobbies, and I was even able to appreciate the small things in daily life.
However, after my dopamine got hijacked by my phone, I started to lose that sensitivity and could no longer feel emotions as deeply as before, for example watching a movie. Since my identity is deeply connected to art, I hated this numbness and felt that I could no longer truly appreciate art.
After I stopped using my phone constantly, my sensitivity returned, and I have started to enjoy my artistic hobbies again from the bottom of my heart. Constant phone distraction makes our brains addicted to stimulation, which can even prevent us from appreciating and enjoying simple experiences.
2. My stress level decreased
Due to distractions from my phone, I used to leave my assignments until the last minute, which often forced me to stay up late to finish them. Furthermore, I felt frustrated with myself for not being productive or efficient each day, as I knew I should not be getting distracted so easily.
However, dopamine detox helped me become more productive by being able to complete assignments every day with less procrastination. This situation alone greatly reduced my stress levels.
As I mentioned earlier, having more free time also allowed me to try new things, which reduced my stress even more. I did not realize how much trying something new could make my life much more interesting and enjoyable. For instance, I started to study history, which I had never learned before, and I also began cooking every day. This not only reduced my stress, but also made my life feel more fulfilling and meaningful.
3. Conclusion
Here, I shared my experience with dopamine detox and the benefits of reducing daily phone use. I know that completely avoiding phones is impossible in modern society, but using them less can make your life much more productive and enjoyable.
I hope I could inspire you to try a dopamine detox, and make your life better!