As the fall 2022 semester came to a close, I found myself in a state of despair. After spending hours in the library without accomplishing any meaningful work, I realized that I had fallen into a disastrous cycle of procrastination. From mindlessly scrolling through social media to binge-eating vending machine snacks, I had succumbed to distractions that left me feeling exhausted, sleep-deprived, and unprepared for my final exams.
Determined to turn things around for the spring semester, I sought advice from Dr. Anna Lembke, a Stanford psychiatry professor and author of “Dopamine Nation.” Dr. Lembke explained to me the concept of dopamine and how it plays a crucial role in our motivation, attention, and overall behavior. She suggested that the best way to break free from the cycle of distractions and instant gratification is to abstain from addictive substances or activities for a period of time.
With social media and online car shopping being my go-to distractions, I decided to embark on a 30-day mindfulness period to regain control of my life. I deleted social media apps from my phone, signed out of accounts on my laptop, and refrained from browsing car shopping websites. It was a challenging start, but as the days passed, I began to notice a significant decrease in my screen time and a growing sense of accomplishment.
Dr. Lembke’s reset also involved replacing screen time with more productive activities. I started reading, running, and disabling push notifications to minimize distractions. By the end of the 30-day experiment, I had not only improved my academic performance but also strengthened my connections with friends and gained a new perspective on my phone usage.
Upon reintroducing social media into my life, I proceeded cautiously by implementing self-binding strategies like switching my phone and laptop to grayscale. This simple change made browsing less appealing and helped me stay focused on more important tasks. I also disabled notifications on non-essential apps to minimize distractions and enhance my productivity.
In conclusion, Dr. Lembke’s 30-day experiment taught me the importance of setting intentions and purposefully interacting with technology. By cutting out excessive screen time and adopting mindful habits, I was able to improve my focus, productivity, and overall well-being. The journey was challenging, but the results were undeniably rewarding.
