'Dopamine Anchoring' Is A Genius Hack For Actually Getting Things Done

You can harness your brain's natural dopamine-seeking tendencies to reach your goals across many areas of life. We’ve all been there. An important email needs a response, but you just can’t bring yourself to type it out. Instead, your mind wants to focus on anything else ― scrolling TikTok, organising your sock drawer, dreaming up an itinerary for a hypothetical trip to Japan you have no immediate plans to take. This isn’t a sign of inherent laziness but rather your brain’s natural tendency to seek out dopamine, the feel-good chemical that gets released when you do something pleasurable. That’s why sipping on a sweet latte or looking at beautiful photos of cherry blossoms on Instagram feel a lot better than responding to that dense work email.But the good news is you can harness that dopamine reward system to complete the tasks your brain would prefer to avoid. There’s a nifty little trick called “dopamine anchoring”.What is “dopamine anchoring”?“Dopamine anchoring is the idea of pairing a non-preferred task with something you enjoy, hopefully making the boring or annoying task less aversive and maybe even something you seek out because the positive activity is more salient,” therapist Caitlyn Oscarson told HuffPost.She gave the example of folding laundry while watching TV or listening to a podcast. “I don’t at all like folding laundry, but when paired with watching a show or having some quiet time with my earbuds, it’s a task that I look forward to and feel motivated to complete,” Oscarson said.If you have ADHD or otherwise struggle with procrastination, dopamine anchoring can help you tackle the tasks you avoid. “It reminds me of the old song from Mary Poppins, ‘Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in the most delightful way,’” said time management coach Anna Dearmon Kornick. “The boring or uncomfortable task is the medicine, and the spoonful of sugar is pairing that task with something you actually enjoy.”Basically, this rewards system makes work feels less like work. “The term draws on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to pleasure, anticipation and motivation,” said Lauren Mastroni, a career expert at CV Genius. “The ‘anchoring’ part refers to creating a consistent link between that positive emotional payoff and the task you’ve associated with it.”The concept is somewhat similar to Pavlovian conditioning, as your mind comes to associate certain activities with positive rewards. “It’s not magic ― it’s just working with how we’re wired,” said Ryan Zhang, a workplace productivity expert and CEO of Notta.ai. “Over time, you stop dreading these tasks because your brain knows something good is coming.”What are the benefits of dopamine anchoring?“Dopamine anchoring can be a powerful tool in a world full of distractions and dwindling attention spans,” Mastroni said, noting that it boosts motivation by helping people overcome the mental hurdle of starting a task they tend to avoid.Thus, dopamine anchoring also facilitates the formation of positive habits, “as the repeated connection between the behaviour and the pleasurable stimulus carves new pathways in your brain over time,” she added. Basically, this approach conditions your brain to have positive associations with the behaviour changes you need to make to reach your goals.“Pairing a dull or difficult task with something pleasurable ― like listening to music while cleaning or enjoying a favourite snack while studying ― can help reframe the task as tolerable or even enjoyable,” said psychotherapist Meg Gitlin. “Over time, your brain learns to associate the task itself with positive reinforcement. This can improve consistency, motivation and even mood regulation.”Dopamine anchoring is a way to hack your brain’s natural reward system to push through tasks. “Teams that try this approach are way more consistent with new processes because it doesn’t feel like such a grind anymore,” Zhang said. “This is huge for remote workers, especially because you miss out on a lot of the natural social energy that keeps you motivated in an office.”Productivity experts tout the benefits of dopamine anchoring in helping individuals and teams reach their goals. He added that this approach also helps with big projects that feel overwhelming because you get little wins along the way. “Dopamine anchoring makes good habits easier to keep,” said Avery Morgan, a productivity expert and chief human resources officer at EduBirdie. “Going for a run each morning may seem hard, but invite your friends to join and have breakfast together afterward ― eventually, your brain links exercise with the post-workout high and social connection. Similarly, tackling tough tasks in a beautiful setting like your favorite cafe, with your go-to playlist or a comforting scent, helps your brain associate effort with pleasure.”Over time, you might not need your dopamine anchors as much, as these tasks become more routine. “Eventually, you might be motivated by the feeling of getting things done as much as the anchor itself,” Oscarson said. “You get to make time for things you enjoy while still being productive and getting things done. And there’s less procrastination, and therefore less guilt and shame for not getting things done.”Are there any downsides?“I think it is possible that in some cases dopamine anchoring could be overused,” Oscarson said. “If you are always seeking out something fun to pair with mundane tasks, you could be over-reliant and struggle to get things done when your dopamine anchors are not available. It is also probably good to be able to do some activities without an anchor and not rely on constant external stimulation.”That’s why you should probably limit your dopamine anchoring to just a few select tasks you have trouble initiating.“If left unchecked, dopamine anchoring can reduce our tolerance for effort, delay or boredom ― things that are often essential for growth,” Gitlin said.Take care to ensure you can still manage difficult tasks without a reward on occasion. “If you can only get through your inbox while drinking a fancy latte, what happens when you’re traveling or working remotely and don’t have access to it?” Mastroni asked. “You may find it harder to complete the task without the familiar trigger.”She also warned against the phenomenon of “reward inflation.”“When the same dopamine boost ― like playing a motivational playlist before interviews or sending applications ― becomes too predictable, it may lose its power to motivate you,” Mastroni explained.Avoid going overboard such that you need bigger and grander rewards to feel motivated.“Some people make their anchors too elaborate, like a 30-minute morning routine, which can become another form of procrastination,” said productivity consultant Samphy Y. “Keep it simple and time-bounded.”You want to choose anchors that energise you, rather than ones that derail your emotional well-being and long-term goals by creating harmful new habits.“Sometimes your brain links pleasure to things that aren’t good for you,” Morgan noted. “It creates cravings for habits like overeating, scrolling social media or other distractions. Seeing your phone light up can trigger a dopamine hit, pulling you back to endless scrolling. Then tasks feel less about choice and more like a pull you can’t resist.”And you shouldn’t allow dopamine anchoring to jeopardise the quality of your work. “For instance, you may find you are not doing as thorough a job as you would normally would if you’re rushing your way through that large stack of proposals so you can have lunch outdoors with a friend,” said Rashelle Isip, a productivity coach at The Order Expert. “You may find you’ve made several basic clerical errors in the process. And that can potentially create unnecessary mistakes, missteps and headaches in the rest of your work.”You can try dopamine anchoring with work tasks like answering unpleasant emails and personal chores like laundry. What are the best ways to implement dopamine anchoring?“If you want to add dopamine anchoring into your productivity toolbox, first identify something that you’re intentionally putting off,” Dearmon Kornick said. “Then, confirm that the reason why you’re putting it off is because it’s boring or uncomfortable. When you’re clear that you’re procrastinating because the task is boring or uncomfortable, brainstorm things that you can do before, during or after that task to make it less boring or uncomfortable.”She recommended test driving your dopamine anchors with the mentality of a scientist ― seeing what happens and making adjustments until you find the combination that works best for you and your personality. “Notice how you feel after you’ve completed your task and received your reward,” Isip said. “Be sure to set a time limit for yourself so you won’t be overly ambitious in your work.”Keep in mind that dopamine anchoring alone won’t help you tackle any task, particularly not ones that are “too big, too complex or tasks that you’re afraid of,” Dearmon Kornick warned.“Those types of tasks need to be broken down into smaller parts first, or you need to address the fear of the task, whether it’s perfectionism or something else,” she said. “Not all types of procrastination can be addressed in the same way.”Be kind to yourself, rather than forcing your mind into overdrive. Start small with pairings like doing laundry with an audiobook, paying bills while enjoying a favorite snack or walking on the treadmill with a favourite TV show.“Choose anchors that your 80-year-old self would approve of,” Samphy Y advised. “Would future you be proud that you needed a shot of whiskey to answer emails? Probably not. But would they smile knowing you danced to one song before tackling a difficult conversation? Absolutely.”He also recommended trying “micro-weird” anchors, like wearing your lucky socks, smelling a particular essential oil or eating exactly three blueberries. Your brain pays more attention to things that are random and strange.“If your anchor becomes a crutch, like relying on sugary snacks to get through unpleasant tasks, it may foster dependency on cheap dopamine,” Morgan said. “Instead, aim for meaningful, sustainable rewards. A short walk outside, music, social time, interesting content instead of mindless scrolling, some creative activity ― these are the kinds of anchors to look for.”The idea is to be intentional and choose things that aren’t too indulgent and are also within your control, rather than requiring specific conditions or participation from others.“Consistency matters,” Mastroni noted. “Use the same reward repeatedly in the context of that task, especially early on, to build the association. And don’t be afraid to rotate your anchors. Changing them occasionally keeps your brain engaged and avoids dependence on any single reward.”Ultimately, the objective is to channel your brain’s craving for stimulation and pleasure toward meaningful actions. “When we’re aware of how dopamine drives us, we’re in a much better position to choose behaviours that feel good and do good in the long run,” Gitlin said. “The goal isn’t to eliminate pleasure, but to align it more consciously with the life you actually want to live.”Related...Greige Is Over – 28 Outfits Perfect For Dopamine Dressing Your Kid6 Everyday Activities That Naturally Release Dopamine In Your BrainIs This ADHD Symptom Messing With Your Sex Life?

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