It’s ironic how taxing it can be to get yourself to do things you know will make you feel better. When you’re running on empty after a long day, it’s hard to muster up the energy and motivation to cook a nutritious meal, go to pilates class, or even have a drink with friends. If you feel like you have to play mental games with yourself to do anything other than doomscroll after finally getting to crash on your couch, you may be lacking dopamine. This relatable scene demonstrates how and why dopamine menus (aka dopamenus) came to be—and no, there are no restaurants involved.
What Is Dopamine?
According to an article from Mental Health America, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that “helps regulate motor control and executive function. Whenever you need to do something, like tidy up your bedroom or clear out your fridge, your brain triggers a little release of dopamine to motivate you to do that thing.” If your brain ends up liking the action, you get another burst to make you want to do it again, connecting feelings of pleasure to the behavior. Think of it as your natural, built-in reward system.
But there’s a catch: If you’re constantly chasing a dopamine hit, you may engage in pleasurable activities excessively, like spending hours on TikTok or eating a bag of Oreos in one go (we’ve all been there). It’s like a craving you can’t satisfy.
“It doesn’t actually make you feel good or happy, it simply makes you want to do the thing again,” MHA’s article reads. Like most things, it’s about balance: Too much dopamine can result in impulse-control issues and aggression; a deficiency makes you lose motivation and excitement and can lead to burnout.
What Is a Dopamine Menu (or Dopamenu)?
Before you get overwhelmed by this concept, know that it is not just another to-do list. It’s designed to make you more motivated, removing decision fatigue to deliver adequate amounts of dopamine to your brain—especially if you’re already running low, like those with ADHD.
The YouTube channel How to ADHD, created by Jessica McCabe, popularized the dopamenu in the video “How to Give Your Brain the Stimulation It Needs,” which has nearly 2 million views. In a conversation with clinical therapist and creator of ADHD reWired Eric Tivers, the duo explained why the idea is so helpful in daily life.
“Making different choices requires figuring out what those choices are,” McCabe said. “It’s hard to make good dopamine choices when we’re already low on dopamine. One way we can make it easier is to separate the planning from the choosing.” This way, you’re not doing all the executive functions at the same time.
Here are McCabe’s four steps for creating your own dopamine menu:
- Design: Think about activities you’ve done that make you excited (entrees); things you do when you’re bored that don’t make you feel great and can easily be overdone (desserts); things that give you a burst of dopamine without sucking you in (appetizers); things you can add to other activities to make them more engaging (sides); and exciting, big things you don’t get to do very often (specials).
- Omit/Edit: Take off anything that’s not realistic right now.
- Prep: Do everything you can in advance to set yourself up to actually follow your menu (for example, if one of your entrees is to make breakfast, stock up on the ingredients you need) .
- Advertise: Make it pretty, share it with friends, etc.
Home-Related Dopamine Menu Ideas
Remember: Choose items you know you’ll realistically want to do (aka order and make). If you’ve never sewn in your life, don’t put “Make a scarf.” Your dopamenu should be as accessible as possible, equal parts fun and productive.
Appetizers
For when you have a few minutes or need a midday break:
- Organize skincare/makeup products
- Make coffee or tea in cute glassware
- Make your bed
- Make a quick and nutritious breakfast (avocado toast, bagel, eggs, etc.)
- Do your favorite cleaning activity
- Arrange a bouquet of flowers
- Make a go-to grocery list/meal plan for the week
- Leaf through a cookbook and highlight some recipes you want to try
- Swap out your blankets/linens
- Hang up a new photo
- Add mementos to a scrapbook
- Decorate a shelf
- Hang eucalyptus in the shower
- Water plants
- Harvest veggies from the garden
- Make a mocktail
- Play with a pet
- Decorate your pet’s area
- Make a to-do list and hang it up
- Brainstorm hosting themes
Entrees
These may take an hour or two but are the most enjoyable and rewarding:
- Rearrange your furniture
- Start a DIY project
- Do a craft or hobby
- Paint a piece of art
- Make a collage or vision board
- Cook a new recipe
- Bake a sweet treat
- Prep your guest room
- Make a loaf of bread
- Propagate or repot your houseplants
- Start a new container garden
- Reorganize your bookshelf
- Do an at-home workout
Desserts
Common overindulgences with a more intentional spin—try to refer to these in moderation:
- Shop for new furniture or decor
- Scroll on social media for home and cooking inspiration, gardening ideas, crafty DIYs, etc.
- Create a Pinterest board
- Rewatch the Martha Stewart documentary or binge Grosse Pointe Garden Society
- Read articles on the newest home trends (you’re in the right place!)
- Try a new bottle of wine
- Make a new cocktail with fresh herbs
- Order a meal (and serve it in your nicest dishware, a la Meghan Markle)
Sides
To give you an added dopamine hit without dedicating all your focus:
- Light candles or incense
- Open your blinds and windows
- Turn on your mood lighting
- Listen to a podcast
- Play music (to romanticize your life, listen to songs that relate to what you’re doing—like if you’re making homemade ravioli, put on a classic Italian-themed playlist)
- Sip mimosas while doing a deep clean (or another task)
- Watch a morning/night routine YouTube video or TikTok
- Put together cute outfits while picking up your clothes/doing laundry
- If you’re decorating or organizing, take photos to document your progress
Specials
Tackle these one at a time and don’t rush them—it should be a fun and exciting process:
- Start seeds
- Renovate a room
- Paint your walls, trim, home exterior, etc.
- Add wallpaper
- Meet with a pro for interior design advice
- Landscape your yard
- Prep for and host a dinner party or at-home café
- Host friends or family for a weekend
- Plan your dream trip
- Swap out your light fixtures
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