top of page

Create Your Own Self-Care Menu (Dopamenu inspired)

Writer's picture: Janna RossJanna Ross

When you're stressed out and anxious beyond belief, and know you need some time to yourself to recoup, what’s the first thing that you do?


And I mean after the part where you tell yourself that you don't really have time and you should just keep going...and you may for a little bit... but then you get to the point where you simply just cannot.


Let's be real, once you've reached that point, you're likely to end up scrolling on your phone for 45 minutes or sitting in front of your TV for hours, eyes glazed, and suddenly it’s time for bed.


How often do you actually feel good after that? Yeah, I don’t feel great after that kind of thing, either. 


What if you had a short list of options ready to choose from to give you the boost you’re actually looking for? So ready that you wouldn’t have to think about it- just do it. Like a menu of options for self-care. Let’s create a self-care menu, shall we? But first, let me tell you what this is inspired by and what the self-care menu will ultimately be very similar to.


There’s a trend going around right now that’s called “dopamine menu” or "dopamenu". This idea originated back in 2020 in a YouTube video by Jessica McCabe created to help those with ADHD. The idea is to make a menu of things to help give you boosts of dopamine in a healthy productive way that lasts, as opposed to in a way that gives a boost in dopamine, but doesn’t last and doesn't really make you feel any better, like sitting and scrolling social media for hours on end. 

.

Jessica based it off of a menu that you’d see at a sit down restaurant that has appetizers, entrees, sides, specials, and dessert. 


Appetizers would be activities that you can do in around 10 minutes or less to give you a little mental boost such as going for a short walk or doing a meditation.


Entrees are things you can do when you have more time to work with like a workout or maybe spending time with a friend. 


Sides are things you do with another activity you don’t really like to do or you find boring in order to spice it up. It could be something like listening to fun YouTube videos while cleaning the kitchen or listening to an audiobook while driving to work.


Desserts are those things that are mainly for funzies and best in moderation like scrolling on social media or watching your favorite TV show. 


Specials are going to be things that you do every once in a while like a vacation or a full on spa day.


While the original concept was focused on helping those with ADHD, I think it can be applied to helping with stress and anxiety as well. Really it can help with your mental and physical wellness overall. So how about a self-care menu?


Use the suggestions below to help you design your own self-care menu. Make sure to create it when you're in a good headspace and have time to sit down and think about the things that help you handle stress and reduce anxiety. I say a good headspace because you want your self-care menu to already be handy when you're in the midst of feeling stressed or anxious so you can just do the activity without having to think too much.


Let's look into how to make this self-care menu (anxiety & stress edition) starting with the appetizers. These will be ideal for when you need something quick to bring you down or when you have a short amount of time to work with. For example, if you sometimes get anxious going grocery shopping (I used to really struggle with this) what is something you can do to ground yourself? For example, I would sometimes go to the candle section and find scents that I found calming to take a few sniffs (don't huff it! lol) and it would distract my brain and help to settle me a bit. Here are a few more examples:

  • Do a breathwork meditation

  • Listen to relaxing music

  • Take a walk

  • Sit outside and note 3 things you perceive with each of your 5 senses


On to the entree! Maybe you’re dealing with some long term stress or you've noticed that anxiousness is popping up more often than usual and you know you need to spend some intentional time in recovery. It's the weekend and you have the opportunity to spend a decent amount of time getting some woosaaah. What would you do if you had a few hours time or even a whole day? Here are some ideas:

  • Take a hike (my personal fav)

  • Spend quality time with a friend

  • Get crafty

  • Read a book


Next we have our sides- perhaps there’s a task you have to do that's mundane or that causes you a little stress or anxiousness, like a zoom call with your boss, so you keep a fidget or stress ball handy to fiddle with while you're on the call. Here are some other examples of sides:

  • Listening to chill music while working on a report or project

  • Listening to a podcast while working out

  • Coloring while listening to a lecture

  • Bring a friend with you to go grocery shopping


Desserts come in when you really just need to veg out for a little bit or maybe you're recovering from an anxiety attack or other highly stressful event. Then you could try things like:

  • Watching your favorite TV show

  • Scrolling the socials

  • Playing a video game


Last, but not least, you have vacation days to use up at work so maybe you’re looking for the ultimate getaway or recharge which could be things like:

  • Going on a 2 week vacation

  • Having a complete spa day- massage, sauna, hair, nails, the whole shebang!

  • Going on a long weekend trip with your closest friends


The important thing is that you have ideas ready to help you reduce your stress and anxiety whether you're dealing with something in the moment or you're trying to recharge from a long week. You don't have to put effort in to figuring out what to do because you already have it planned out! You'll also find that you won't fall into aimless scrolling as often AND you'll actually feel better after implementing something from your list.


One more important thing! Keep this list where you can see it! Have it printed out and stuck on your fridge or on your desk or even as the background on your phone. Make sure it's easy to see!


Note: Remember that if stress and anxiety get TOO overwhelming that it's recommended to seek help from a licensed therapist or mental health counselor. It's okay to get help when you need it. 💗


What’s on your self care menu? Tell me in the comments!


Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice.


29 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating