How to set up a dopamine detox schedule

Pick a realistic window
Start with a 24‑hour block that fits your calendar. Weekends work because work emails don’t pull you in. Mark the start time in your habit tracker and set a reminder for the exact minute. When the alarm rings, switch off non‑essential apps, mute social notifications, and close browser tabs that feed the scroll habit.

Define the “off‑limits” activities
Write a short list: social media, binge‑watching, endless news feeds, and any game that rewards you with quick points. Keep the list to five items or fewer; too many rules get ignored. Add each item as a separate habit in the Trider dashboard, choose the “Check‑off” type, and give it a red badge so it stands out.

Create replacement habits
The brain craves stimulation, so swap the banned actions with low‑dopamine alternatives. A 10‑minute walk, a sketch, or a cup of tea counts. In Trider, add these as timer habits with a 15‑minute Pomodoro timer. When you finish the timer, the habit auto‑checks off, giving you a tiny win without the spike.

Use the journal to track cravings
Open the notebook icon on the Tracker screen each evening. Write a line about what you wanted to check and how strong the urge was. Choose a mood emoji that matches the feeling—maybe 😬 for anxiety or 😌 for calm. Over a week you’ll see patterns, and the AI tags will surface “stress” or “boredom” when you search past entries.

Protect your streak with a freeze
If a day slips and you can’t stick to the plan, hit the freeze button on the habit card. It saves the streak without forcing you to cheat. Reserve freezes for genuine emergencies; using them too often defeats the purpose.

Leverage a squad for accountability
Invite a friend to a small squad in the Social tab. Share your detox dates and let each member post their daily completion percentage. A quick “Hey, I made it through day 2!” in the squad chat can be the nudge you need when the urge to scroll spikes.

Set up a micro‑challenge
Create a 7‑day challenge that includes only the replacement habits. The challenge leaderboard will show who’s holding steady, turning the detox into a friendly competition.

Activate crisis mode on rough days
When burnout hits, tap the brain icon on the Dashboard. The simplified view shows a breathing exercise, a vent‑journal prompt, and a tiny win task. Completing any one of these keeps momentum without breaking the detox.

Review analytics after the detox
Open the Analytics tab to see a chart of habit completion rates. Look for the dip on day 3 and the rebound on day 5. Those spikes tell you when cravings were strongest and when your new routine took hold.

Iterate and expand
After the first round, adjust the schedule. Maybe extend the detox to 48 hours or add a new low‑dopamine habit like reading a physical book. Use the Reading tab to log progress on that book, so you have a concrete metric instead of endless scrolling.

Make it a habit, not a one‑off
Schedule a weekly “dopamine reset” on the same day each month. Set a recurring reminder in the habit settings so the app nudges you at the right time. Over months the brain rewires, and the cravings lose their edge.

And when the next wave of notifications arrives, you’ll already have a toolbox—tracker, journal, squad, and crisis mode—ready to keep the dopamine diet on track.