If you want to be more productive, you’ll want to increase the amount of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical) that produces motivation and strong feelings of pleasurable anticipation. When we are looking forward to something good that is going to happen or get what we consider to be a reward, of some kind, the brain releases dopamine.
When dopamine is high, we process incoming information more quickly. It’s easier for us to change and adapt to new things. Dopamine makes us feel happy so we’re more pleasant and optimistic. The bigger reward we are looking forward to, the greater the brain activity. This is why setting small, obtainable goals, works. Hit a goal, get a quick shot of dopamine. Anticipate getting to your desired outcome, or deeply significant big reward, and just the anticipation can increase dopamine.
Here are some ways to be more productive by utilizing the levels of dopamine in your brain: