It’s 7 a.m., and your alarm bell is ringing from your phone. You snooze it, hoping to snatch a few more moments of rest, but find that peaceful sleep eludes you. Five minutes later, the alarm rings again, propelling you into frustration. You forcefully hit the “Stop” button, vowing to end the incessant ringing. As you glance at your phone, you see five notifications; some are from friends, others from work. You notice a message from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while and feel compelled to reach out. Before you know it, you’re caught in a spiral of videos and endless distractions on social media. When you finally look up, it’s already 8 a.m. A rush of activities beckons: a shower, breakfast, family time, and then heading to work.
Upon arriving at the office, you rush to the conference room, only to find that you’re late for a meeting. You missed the initial key points and now find it hard to follow the discussion. Amidst the confusion, your phone chimes — a call demands your attention, pulling you back into the social media vortex during a fleeting pause.
Your workday oscillates between meetings, discussions with colleagues, checking emails, and attempting to focus on your assigned tasks. Small pockets of time emerge between activities, presenting an opportunity to resort to your phone for company. Despite the fleeting satisfaction it offers, you can’t shake the nagging feeling that the constant barrage of information isn’t truly beneficial.
As night falls, you find yourself in bed, fighting the urge to check your phone one last time. Despite your resistance, you find yourself scrolling through YouTube shorts, the urge to find the best video keeping you awake for another hour.
This cycle of incessant information bombardment can be likened to overloading a computer; feeding it too much information can hamper its performance. As you scroll through YouTube shorts or Instagram reels, your brain releases dopamine, often dubbed the “feel-good hormone,” central to all our pleasurable experiences[1]. While dopamine is essential for maintaining mental health and satisfaction, an overabundance can foster impulsivity, competitiveness, and even aggression [2]. Over time, repetitive dopamine surges can spiral out of control, potentially leading to addiction [2].
So how can we moderate dopamine levels in our daily lives? One of the solution lies in embracing quiet moments amid our hectic schedules. When a break presents itself, resist the urge to reach for your phone. Instead, sit quietly, immersing yourself in nothing but your thoughts for just ten minutes. It might seem simple, yet it can be incredibly challenging. As Joe McCormack eloquently discusses in “The Discipline of Doing Nothing” episode of his podcast, resisting the temptation to fill every moment with activity can be a powerful practice [3].
Introducing quiet breaks into your routine allows your brain the respite it needs, refreshing it for upcoming activities. Just as your body needs rest, your mind does too.
If the idea of being alone with your thoughts seems daunting, consider leveraging meditation apps. Many excellent options are available online, offering guided practices such as breathing exercises, body scans, and visualization techniques to aid you in your journey towards embracing the quiet.
References:
[1] Dopamine (2022). Health Library Article. The Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine
[2] Dopamine (2021). Health Direct. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine
[3] McCormack, Joe (2023). The Discipline of Doing Nothing (Episode No. 275). Just Saying – The Brief Lab [Audio Podcast]. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IBc7lvq1MOabX6TuXlv7T?si=62f4c86843f7464b
Meditation Apps
[1] Headspace
[2] Calm
[3] Level Supermind