A neuroscientist overcame his phone addiction in three weeks and now he's sharing how you can too.
TJ Powers realised he had an addiction to his phone and described himself as a 'very nervous, anxious, unconfident human.'
So he set about trying to beat his reliance on his technology.
"My life changed beyond recognition after I discovered the risks phones pose to our mental health, and spent three months breaking my own ridiculous addiction," he explained.
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By focusing on rebalancing brain chemicals, TJ noticed feeling more 'peaceful and calm, my creativity and motivation for the day ahead rose.'
"Anyone can have the same experience," he said.
TJ's method, called the DOSE Effect is built on the 'evolutionary mismatch hypothesis' and whilst it helped us survive out in the wilderness, it's taken a toll from our reliance on technology and thrown our 'chemicals out of balance.'
TJ's process focuses on boosting the natural levels of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins (DOSE).
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With that, here's how to fix your DOSE and kick your phone habit:
Dopamine
Dopamine is often called the 'feel-good' hormone because it triggers feelings of pleasure and motivation.
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Things like alcohol, sugar or social media cause dopamine spikes but those quick highs often lead to crashes that leave you feeling low.
It's also led to a need for multi-tasking and limited attention span as your brain is constantly moving around to different things to get that dopamine hit.
"It now feels boring if you’re not hyper-stimulated," TJ said. "But we can’t always be hyper-stimulated because our brains can’t cope with it. They rebound into a low state to try to redress the balance, so we experience low moods and depression."
To rebalance your dopamine levels, he recommends avoiding checking your phone for the first 30 minutes after waking. Moreover, the brain expert advises people to earn their screen time 'instead of giving it to yourself all the time.'
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Also swapping TikTok for long-form YouTube videos or TV without multitasking is a more balanced way to stimulate dopamine.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin drives our need for connection with others.
"Any form of physical touch stimulates oxytocin like crazy, whether that’s romantic, hugging or high-fiving your friends," TJ described.
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To boost this 'love hormone,' create phone-free zones like going out to dinner - and make sure to focus on the person in front of you.
Try to have in-person connections whenever possible over virtual ones and practice active listening by asking questions and staying fully present to help boost oxytocin levels, TJ suggested.
Serotonin
Serotonin plays a huge role in regulating mood and emotions, and it thrives on fresh air, sunlight and a good diet.
"You can quickly experience benefits from subtle tweaks," TJ added.
"Walking phone-free first thing in the morning in nature and sunlight is phenomenal for serotonin."
The neuroscientist recommends eating nutritious, whole foods like fruit, fish, eggs and vegetables – instead of ultra-processed foods which really disrupt the chemical.
Make sure to step outside for at least five minutes when it's sunny and 15 when it’s cloudy as even short walks are 'unbelievably important for the brain.'
Endorphins
Endorphins are your body’s natural stress relievers and mood boosters.
"They have a calming, de-stressing effect on our brain," TJ said, adding that they are released during physical activity and enjoyable activities.
Exercising regularly is the key to releasing endorphins. "Walking is phenomenal, with so many benefits. Build up to 10,000 steps each day," TJ reported.
Running, cycling, swimming or lifting weights are all beneficial: "The more you physically exert the body, the more endorphins will be released."
But if you prefer activities like yoga and stretching, that's okay too. Both 'oxygenate the blood and calm the body' whilst stretching before bed will 'help you sleep too.'
Finally, doing things you love like taking baths, singing, dancing or watching comedies can all get those endorphins flowing.