Dopamine Detox 2.0 — Part 2: The Attention Economy and AI Overload

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Series — Dopamine Detox 2.0 (2/10)

1. Part 1 — Why Quick Dopamine Fails
2. Part 2 — Attention Economy and AI Overload
3. Part 3 — Low-Stimulus Morning
4. Part 4 — Focus Sprints That Stick
5. Part 5 — Reward Spacing
6. Part 6 — Social Design
7. Part 7 — Food for Focus
8. Part 8 — Sleep and Cortisol
9. Part 9 — Purpose and Attention
10. Part 10 — 7-Day Reset

On this page

Reader-centric Auto-ToC Self-Check A11y

Reading time - Beginner-friendly

Short note: This page may include promotional or affiliate links. Your choices remain entirely up to you.

Smart Life Reset Tools — Curated resources that help you build calmer focus. See quick picks: Tools and Resources.

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When AI Notifications Took Over My Morning

One week, my best hours were gone by 10 a.m. Not because of work, but because of micro-rewards: new comments, trending prompts, fast summaries. I felt informed and oddly empty. The fix wasn’t quitting tech. It was rewriting how I meet it.

Why Focus Feels Hard Now

• Micro-rewards teach anticipation, not completion.
• AI accelerates novelty. More pings, less payoff.
• Meaning wins over stimulation. Tie screens to purpose, not panic.

Quick win: Delay first check-in until you finish one 25-minute block. Small shield, big effect.

A Field Guide for AI-Era Attention

• Morning low-stimulus arc. Light and water before phone.
• Finish, then check. One deep task before messages.
• Batch novelty. Two app windows instead of grazing.
• Design joy. Music, movement, sunlight, social warmth.

If mornings are tough, try Part 3 — Low-Stimulus Morning next.

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Self-Check: Are You Overloaded or In Charge?

Two-minute mirror. Answer honestly. After a brief 5-second pause, your plan will appear below.

Ten questions. Choose one answer per question.

1) I check my phone within 5 minutes of waking.

Often Sometimes Rarely

2) I skim more than I finish.

Yes Sometimes No

3) I jump between tabs or apps every few minutes.

Often Sometimes Rarely

4) I feel restless without new information.

Yes Sometimes No

5) My focus dips after scrolling or short-form content.

Often Sometimes Rarely

6) I check multiple AI or news feeds quickly.

Often Sometimes Rarely

7) I delay important tasks until I feel ready.

Yes Sometimes No

8) I find simple routines satisfying.

Yes Sometimes Rarely

9) I complete one deep task before checking messages.

Yes Sometimes Rarely

10) I end my day with a brief review (win, lesson, next step).

Often Sometimes Rarely

Please answer all questions.

Take one breath - preparing your plan...

Inhale 4, exhale 6. Let your jaw soften.

5s

Your Attention Profile

Tier

...

This is a map, not a label. The goal is smarter reward spacing and calmer focus.

Today KPI

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Check-in Windows

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Morning

—

Evening

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What To Do Today

Your 7-Day Attention Reset

30-Day Integration

FAQ — Readers Also Ask

Do I have to quit social media?

No. Batch it. Two windows a day beats grazing all day.

How fast will I notice change?

Many feel steadier within 3 to 7 days of low-stim mornings plus one deep block daily.

What about AI tools?

Use them after you define a clear output. Create first, optimize second.

Is boredom a bad sign?

It is recalibration data. It fades as deeper rewards return.

Best first step?

Finish one meaningful task before your first check-in.

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Up next

1. Part 3 — Low-Stimulus Morning
2. Part 4 — Focus Sprints That Stick