My Monthly Earnings: A Reflection on February 2023

I decided to share my monthly performance and the lessons I learned, which included both disappointments and encouraging news.

Experiencing that rush of excitement when I see ten minutes of “member read time” feels exhilarating. My daytime job pays me around $14 an hour, but the thrill of earning my first dollar on Medium surpassed the joy of checking my paycheck.

This “feel-good rush” stems from dopamine firing in our brains. We are naturally wired to release dopamine during activities that bring us happiness or relaxation. In the days of our ancestors, dopamine was released in response to essential survival actions like finding food or shelter.

Now, however, our brains are triggered to release dopamine for seemingly trivial interactions, like receiving a notification from a game or watching meme compilations on YouTube during downtime.

In today's world, we release this neurotransmitter countless times throughout the day for no significant reason. This constant stimulation can lead to feelings of lethargy and lack of motivation, especially if we start our day scrolling through social media for 30 minutes in bed.

This is where the concept of a dopamine detox comes into play.

A Cautionary Note on Dopamine Detox

Before diving into this process, it's essential to note that individuals with ADHD should avoid strict dopamine detoxes, as their baseline dopamine levels may already be lower.

A Practical Approach to Dopamine Detox

Rather than attempting to overhaul every habit at once—which can be overwhelming and unsustainable—it's wiser to gradually adjust behaviors.

While watching a video on dopamine detoxing, I was surprised to hear the creator suggest cutting out exercise or healthy eating. Most of us don’t need to eliminate those beneficial activities. This video inspired me to rethink my daily habits.

Consistency is crucial for developing healthy habits and breaking bad ones, regardless of whether the pace is fast or slow. The key is to keep progressing.

How to Maintain Consistency?

We often hear that “consistency is crucial” or “whatever you want to achieve, practice it daily.”

My Detox Journey So Far

I've started implementing some changes that seem to work well for me. Here’s what I’ve been doing:

• I refrain from checking my phone or computer for the first 30 minutes after waking up.
• I limit my time on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to after I’ve completed my daily responsibilities—typically 1 to 2 hours before dinner.
• I avoid binge-watching content.
• My coffee consumption has decreased from two cups daily to just one cup, four to five days a week.

Instead of complete abstinence, moderating my intake has proven more manageable for now.

I hope you found this reflection insightful. I welcome your thoughts and feedback. Are you currently practicing any form of dopamine detox? What strategies have worked best for you?

I utilized Grammarly to refine my writing, as I am not a native speaker.