Stop Trying to "Win the Morning" Like the Gurus Say
Everyone wants that dopamine hit first thing in the morning - that little jolt of pleasure. So we wake up, reach for our phones, and scroll TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts.
And then - 45 minutes later - we're drained, mentally scattered, and already mad at ourselves.
But here's the truth: you don't have to go cold turkey. You just need to hijack the system and do it on your terms.
Hack the Dopamine, Don't Fight It
I used to fall into this trap daily. So I started small.
Instead of swearing off social media, I gave myself 10 minutes of guilt-free scrolling. That's it. Then, I'd reward myself with something productive with just one task.
Example: Watch 10 mins of videos → Do 1 tiny task like making the bed
Your brain links the reward with the action. That's your hook.
Now, I even use an app lock - 30 mins max/day. It saved my focus and my mornings.
Why "Assigning Time" Never Worked for Me
This one took years to understand:
Telling myself "Do X at 9:00 AM" didn't work. My brain didn't care about the clock. But it did care about sequence.
Sequence = Power
Instead of time-based: "At 9 AM, journal."
Try: "After coffee, journal." or "After brushing, open the laptop."
That small shift made all the difference.
I call it the domino method to stack one small action after another so you never ask "what now?" You just… go.
The Dopamine Formula: Make Everything a Game
If your brain is driven by dopamine (spoiler: it is), then treat your routine like a game.
Here's what worked for me:
| Ingredient | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Novelty | Change your routine daily — keep your brain curious |
| Urgency | Use countdowns or mini-deadlines for short bursts |
| Accountability | Text a friend what you'll do (or post online) |
| Fun | Add music, reward systems, even costumes (yes, really) |
Example: "I can't open Twitter until I win 3 focus rounds."
That's not discipline. That's design.
Why Morning Routines Made Me Miserable
"Wake up early."
"Read 10 pages."
"Go for a 30-minute walk."
"Journal. Meditate. Cold shower."
These were supposed to help. But they made me feel like a failure before 9 AM.
So I stopped. Now, I do things differently.
Each morning is a surprise. I let intuition guide me, not a rigid checklist. Sometimes I stretch. Sometimes I clean my space. Sometimes I watch a YouTube tutorial.
The only rule: Do one small thing that feels like a win.
Final Thought: Your Brain Works on Hooks, Not Shoulds
Forget "should."
Forget discipline porn.
You're not lazy, you just haven't hacked your dopamine system yet.
So don't start your day with punishment. Start it with curated pleasure that leads to momentum.
Start small. Make it interesting.
Stack actions like dominoes.
Use your brain's chemistry - not brute force.
TL;DR Dopamine Morning Stack (Example)
- Scroll guilt-free for 10 minutes
- Do a 3-minute win (make bed, water plants)
- Reward: coffee + playlist
- Stack: Open planner → choose 1 priority
- Hook: Post daily win or DM it to a friend