Have you ever found yourself reaching for your phone the moment you have free time? You intend to just check notifications, but before you know it, an hour has passed. When you finally put the phone down, you feel emptier and more exhausted than before.
This New Year 2026, if you're looking for ways to reclaim your time and refresh your mind, you should get to know the trending global mental wellness movement called "Dopamine Menu" or "Happiness Menu."
Simply put, it is a "list of activities that bring happiness" written out like a "restaurant menu" to choose from whenever you feel bored, stressed, or in need of stimulation, instead of automatically scrolling your phone screen.
Why format it as a menu? Our brains crave shortcuts. When bored, the brain demands “happiness now.” Grabbing the phone is the easiest shortcut but often provides only fleeting or cheap dopamine. Having a "Dopamine Menu" posted on the wall or set as wallpaper offers the brain better options to pick from immediately without much thought, effectively breaking the screen addiction cycle.
How to create your own "Dopamine Menu"
The principle is to divide joyful activities into categories, like courses in a restaurant meal.
1. Appetizers (snacks)
Best for short 5-10 minute breaks when you want to rest your mind or quickly beat boredom.
2. Main Courses
Best for longer free time of 30 minutes or more—activities that truly uplift your spirit (Deep Pleasure).
3. Sides
Best to combine with other dull tasks to add flavor and make them more enjoyable.
4. Desserts
This is the space for
You allow yourself to indulge but mindfully—for example, "I will scroll TikTok for 20 minutes for entertainment" rather than scrolling aimlessly because you don't know what else to do.
It reduces decision fatigue: When tired, the brain tends to choose the easiest option, which is scrolling the phone. Having a prepared menu lets you simply pick an activity.
It shifts from passive to active: Scrolling is passive media consumption, but most activities on the menu are active engagement, which recharges energy much better.
Small sense of pride: At the end of the day, you feel "I did several good things today" instead of feeling guilty "I did nothing but scroll screens."
This New Year, try taking a piece of paper or open your phone’s Notes app, write your own Dopamine Menu, and place it somewhere clearly visible, like on the refrigerator or your desk.
Next time boredom strikes, try ordering an "Appetizer" from your prepared menu instead of grabbing your phone, and you’ll find life tastes much richer and more satisfying.