Around this time of year, I feel the need to invest in resting and focus on taking care of myself. A lot of the time this means practicing little habits of self-care and building space that feels clean and comforting. Recently, I was in bed scrolling through TikTok when I came across this idea of a "dopamine menu." These are a list of habits you incorporate to give you a quick boost of dopamine so you avoid giving in to less healthy habits, like doom scrolling (ironic, I know).

The idea behind building a “menu” of tasks is that they’re broken down depending on the amount of time or attention they require from you. These almost function like to-do lists for self-care and healthy habits. Dopamine is a feel good hormone that's linked to a sense of achievement. Essentially, we feel a rush of dopamine when we accomplish these tasks or feel as if we’re closer to achieving certain goals. In some cases, this is a great practice for people who naturally have lower levels of dopamine, like people who have ADHD.

While your dopamine menu is unique to what makes you feel good and how you’ve already built your lifestyle, these are some items that you can add to your menu and “order” for yourself next time you're in need of a boost of dopamine.

Consumable

Consumable items are smaller items on the menu. They could be appetizers or even sides depending on how you use them. Consumables are food related items. This could be anything from a snack to a nice cup of coffee. Essentially, what you’re doing is giving your body some fuel and satisfaction from food. 

Enjoy Sweet Treats

I like grabbing a bag of SmartSweet gummies when I’m craving a sweet treat. They use alternative natural sweeteners and fiber in their candy making it lower in calories. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite bag of candy, sometimes it's nice to find an alternative that avoids the processed sugars and fuels your body with better ingredients.

Make a Cup of Coffee

When I’m trying to avoid grabbing my phone first thing in the morning, the next best thing to reach for is a cup of coffee. My morning coffee has become a ritual and a much needed side companion when I start my work day. Investing in a good coffee machine is a great way to have fun with it at home. I’ve tried to perfect my latte art skills, and while my hearts look more like blobs, it’s still a fun ritual in my morning routine.

Meal Prep Snacks

As someone who works from home, I constantly find myself walking to my fridge or pantry to grab a snack. I’ve started including this in my meal prep to make snacks I enjoy, and customize them to my taste or nutrition goals. One thing that's made storage easier is using reusable storage bags. They don’t take up as much room as a big container but they’re still easy to clean. I also just feel good knowing I’m not constantly throwing out plastic bags once I’ve used them. 

Grab a Cold Drink

Every once in a while I do enjoy a nice cold drink. This could either be something out of a can or a fun cocktail or mocktail recipe I’m trying out. What makes this even more fun is sipping it out of a cute glass or tumbler. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it definitely makes the drink taste better. 

Practices

Practices are more are items you’d do more regularly and usually take up more time. They happen either a few times a week or a month. A lot of practices include your favorite hobbies or sometimes people depending on the activity.

Workout

The best way for a good hit of dopamine is through movement. I’ve recently been on a discovery to find new workouts I enjoy and different places I can go to learn them. It’s great to schedule regular workouts a few times a week for an hour or so. I love varying my exercises so this involves trying new things like workout classes with friends or even just a simple gym workout on my own, either way it’s great to make your body feel good while also looking good in your cute gym fit of choice, like the workout sets from Aerie. 

Reading

Nothing feels more calming and therapeutic than lighting a candle, curling up on the couch with a weighted blanket in your cozy clothes and flipping through the pages of your favorite book or Kindle. Fall is the best time for anything between an Agatha Christie mystery to a Jojo Moyes romance. Reading feels so much nicer when you can build the ambiance and environment for it, so take the time to set the scene for yourself. 

Reorganize or Clean Your Home

A Sunday reset is key in my weekly routine. Giving myself the time to reorganize any clutter that builds and clean up the mess that collects throughout the week makes me feel ready to tackle the days ahead. I try to make this fun with some music playing through the Sonos speakers or another episode of “Friends” in the background. Something to fill in the space while you clear it. 

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty pleasures, just like desserts, are a fun treat to indulge in every once in a while. These are activities to do in moderation simply because too much of it can be a bit addicting or they might be a bit of a splurge so its best to keep it to every once in a while. 

Solo Dates

These have been a recent favorite of mine. A lot of the time they involve getting dressed up in a fun fall outfit, putting on my favorite pair of boots, and going out to do something just for me. This could be a live show like a musical or stand up comedy night, a new restaurant, or some other fun activity I’m keen on trying in my neighborhood. Not only do I feel good from looking good but also experiencing something new just for myself feels fulfilling.

Shopping

Every once in a while, we love to indulge in a little retail therapy. Many of us are also updating our wardrobe with new clothes or accessories for the new season or simply find ourselves redefining our style. With holidays also around the corner, this is a great time to start finding presents for our loved ones and even for ourselves. We’ve covered a number of articles on our favorite finds in fashion or home decor, but we’ve also included a few more favorites below.

Social Media Scrolling

Yes, this is the reason behind creating a dopamine menu in the first place, but that doesn’t mean you can treat yourself to it for a little while. If you feel the need to unwind with a funny meme or two, catch up with the ones your friends spammed you with, or do the same back to them, it doesn’t hurt to take a few minutes out for this so long as you don’t spend hours on it.

Spa Night

While it may be nice to go out for a facial or a massage, that doesn’t mean that's the only way to treat yourself to the spa. Give yourself an at-home spa night with some nicer products like different masks, a warm bath, and some essential oils in a diffuser to set the tone. We’ve included some of our favorite products to recreate this. 

Habitual

These are more like daily practices that could be smaller tasks categorized as appetizers or things you block out parts of your day for like mains. These are the items I try to do every day if not most days to not only be productive but make myself feel better.

Journaling

I either opt to do this first thing in the morning to start my day with a clear mind and set intentions or the very last thing I do at night to clear my mind so I can rest properly and get better sleep. Either way, having a journal and pen by my bedside is essential. And this can always be tailored for you. Some people opt to use prompts and some journals even come equipped with them. Some people prefer bullet journaling or doodles to visually articulate their thoughts. And then there is always the classic word vomit to reflect your thoughts straight onto the page. Either way, a good notebook, like the ones from Moleskin, and a pen of your liking are essential for this.

Closing Shift

This is another viral trend found on social media pages. The idea behind a closing shift is to recreate a closing shift in your home to help yourself in the morning. This includes making sure there aren’t any dirty dishes, decluttering counters, and putting other things away in their designated places. This way when you wake up the next morning to a clean space, you start your day off right, but this also helps keep things clean after your Sunday reset. 

Cooking

Not only do I enjoy making homemade meals, but as someone who is focused more on making food at home and avoiding takeout for midweek meals, I’ve learned to turn the process of making my dinner into a regular item on my dopamine menu. This doesn’t always mean making an elaborate meal. I’ve learned to build an arsenal of quick midweek meals whether they’re one-pot meals that can be made in a quality dutch oven from Le Creuset or Instapot, or getting certain ingredients at the store to help with shortcuts and cutting down on cook time without skimping on flavor. 

Skin Care

I am committed to following a day and night skincare routine. It’s important not just for maintaining healthy skin, but also it’s also a daily habit that is solely focused on self-care. It doesn’t matter how short or how elaborate your routine is, the point of this is much like meditation where you’re focused on the moment and yourself. Key things to always have in your routine are a good cleanser, moisturizer, and, during the day, sunscreen.