energy & rest · 2-minute read
What is a dopamine menu? (With examples)
in 30 seconds
- A dopamine menu is a list of small, enjoyable activities, sorted like a restaurant menu.
- The idea was popularized by Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD. It’s a planning tool, not a treatment.
- Make it on a good day, use it on a flat one: start with a two-minute “starter”.
A dopamine menu is a short list of activities that give you a quick, healthy lift, sorted like a restaurant menu. When you feel flat, bored or restless, you pick something from the menu instead of reaching for your phone. The idea was popularized by Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD, and it caught on because it moves the decision to a calmer moment.
The five courses
- Starters (2 to 5 minutes): one song, loud. Cold water on your face. One minute outside.
- Mains (20 to 60 minutes): a walk with a podcast, cooking something simple, drawing.
- Sides (to pair with boring tasks): a playlist, a favourite drink, a fidget, a comfort show in the background.
- Desserts (lovely, easy to overdo): one episode, a game with a timer, scrolling with an end time.
- Specials (now and then): a day trip, a concert, a weekend with no plans.
Why it can help
On a flat day, deciding what would help can take more energy than you have. A menu decides ahead, on a better day. Starters keep the first step tiny. Naming desserts honestly helps you enjoy them without losing the evening.
And a boost isn’t a reward you have to earn. It’s allowed on hard days too.
Make yours in two minutes
Tap the ideas you like, add your own, and print a calm one-page menu.
Open the dopamine menu makerHow to make one in five minutes
- Write three starters you can do anywhere.
- Add two mains for days with a bit more time.
- Add sides that make chores less boring.
- Name your desserts honestly.
- Put the menu where you’ll see it: fridge, desk, phone lock screen.
Keep it short. Six things per course is plenty. Refresh it when it starts to feel stale.
Questions people ask
Is a dopamine menu a treatment for ADHD?
No. ADDitude is clear that it isn’t a cure or a substitute for medication or therapy. It’s a simple way to decide ahead what might help on a flat day.
Does it actually raise dopamine?
The name is a metaphor. We don’t claim it changes brain chemistry. It helps you pick something enjoyable instead of defaulting to the phone.
How many items should it have?
Short is better. Three starters and two mains are enough to begin. Six per course is plenty.
When to get support: A dopamine menu is a small self-help idea. If nothing feels enjoyable anymore, or low mood sticks around, please talk to a doctor. If you’re in crisis, you can find free, confidential support in your country at findahelpline.com.
Sources
free printable kit
Free: the Fresh Start Kit
Six calm pages for the moment you come back to a plan you dropped: a fresh start page, a one-first-step today page, a low-battery day page and a write-it-all-down page. A4 and US Letter.
Get the free kitNo catching up. Just one first step.
