20 Strategies How to Get Your Shit Together With D.O.S.E

You’re a DOSE away from satisfaction

Are you tired of waking up without the energy to get out of bed?

Everyone talks about taking action. But you just lie there daydreaming. Thinking how nice it would be… If you could get everything without doing anything.

But that wouldn’t be nice.

Our bodies evolved over thousands of years to handle life’s challenges. Instead of buying meat at the store, you had to hunt it. When you wanted fun, you talked to others or painted hunting stories on cave walls.

See, dopamine helps keep us motivated during hard tasks. If you’re hunting for 2 days without food, something must keep you going. But life is easier now. Survival isn’t a problem. Entertainment is at your fingertips.

This was me:

  • drinking
  • doing drugs
  • watching porn
  • scrolling 9gag
  • constantly checking email and messenger

My body was sending signals that something was wrong. I felt empty inside. But instead of listening to myself, I found ways to silence these signals. Alcohol, drugs, and quick entertainment helped me avoid facing my feelings. I just took a sip* of a magic drink or a colorful pill.

Would you like to stop losing and hurting yourself with your actions?

Instead of quick pleasure and years of suffering, would you rather put in a little effort each day to regain energy for everything important in life?

Would you like to wake up excited about the day’s challenges?

It’s possible. All thanks to D.O.S.E.

*More like several glasses

The D.O.S.E That Helped Me

D.O.S.E stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins.

Together, they make the “happy chemicals” that keep your brain in the right state.

  • Dopamine is the queen of action.
    • It strengthens the connections in your brain that reward effort.
    • Thanks to dopamine, you can write articles or create apps.
  • Oxytocin is the princess of connection.
    • It tells you if you’re getting enough closeness with other people.
    • When it’s fulfilled, you feel calm and connected — like you’re part of something bigger.
  • Serotonin is the warrior of your well-being.
    • It shows you whether your body is in good shape.
    • A lack of serotonin makes you feel pain, irritated, or just down. It’s your body’s way of saying something needs to change.
  • Endorphins are the messengers of calm.
    • Their name comes from “endogenous morphine,” and they help relieve pain.
    • That’s why you feel lighter after a run or an intense workout.

What do they have to do with building your life?

If you don’t make sure you have enough of these chemicals, you’ll end up:

  • Without the energy to act
  • Without the motivation to change
  • Feeling down and losing belief in progress

And we don’t want that.

Change takes energy and faith in success.

You’ll have to do things that push you outside your comfort zone consistently.

Taking care of your state is the key to building your online empire.

Understanding how D.O.S.E works lets you make smart decisions to prepare yourself for the effort ahead.

The Effects of a D.O.S.E

Have you ever felt bursting energy right after waking up?

When you wake up and can’t wait for the rest of the day? Remember when you were a kid waiting for presents under the Christmas tree? That joyful anticipation, waiting to open your dream Lego set.
And then hours of play while your loved ones sat together at the table. Carefree and happy.

What would you give to feel that way again?

But this time, in the face of a challenge bigger than building Legos. The challenge of building the life you’ve dreamed of. Would you be willing to spend a few moments today to get that feeling in a month or two? And then experience it regularly? And finally, have the time and energy to give hope for the same to other people?

That’s what you can achieve.

Life when you take care of your D.O.S.E is hard to believe. I remember myself 5 years ago when cold sweat covered my forehead every morning. My heart pounded in my chest at the thought of messing everything up that day. The thought of a phone call with a client would literally turn me to stone. And the solution to all of this turned out to be a few habits.

A few habits now allow me to wake up with hope for a great day. Because I know what to do and what to avoid.

Below, you’ll find a list shared by TJ Power in Ali Abdaal’s Deep Dive podcast.

It’s a true compendium of knowledge about the habits worth building to regulate your D.O.S.E.

The Meat of D.O.S.E AKA How do you use science to improve your life

There’s no better advertisement for what understanding D.O.S.E offers.

It’s a chance to gain everything you’re missing.
Energy, mood, motivation — the big three you can’t change on a whim. You have to work for them.

Luckily, science is on our side.

Use it and see how these 20 methods help you regulate your D.O.S.E.

Dopamine – queen of action

Let’s get straight to the point.

Here’s what you can do. You’ll need to test what works for you and what doesn’t.

Let’s go.

1. Ditch the phone

  • Give yourself an hour after waking up to wake up properly.
  • Avoid social media. Why let 100 voices about the world overwhelm you before you’ve even thought about your day?
  • Take an hour before bed to unwind.
  • Phones are fast, easy distractions.
  • Instead, do something slow and intentional.

2. Take action when you wake up

  • Brush your teeth.
  • Splash your face with water.
  • Make your bed.
  • Go for a walk.

3. Work hard on what matters most

  • Focus on what you know is most important — it’s your best shot at moving forward.
  • When you work on something challenging for longer than 15 minutes, you can reach a flow state.
  • That flow state is closely tied to dopamine, which your brain releases as a reward for sustained effort.

4. Choose the harder path

  • As Jerzy Gregorek says: “Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.”
  • Hard decisions give you the chance for long-lasting satisfaction.
  • Have you ever been satisfied after scrolling 9gag until 2 a.m.?
  • How did you feel the next morning?
  • That’s why difficult tasks bring more fulfillment than empty pleasures — they trigger more dopamine release.

5. Follow what matters to you

Now, on to the connection.

Oxytocin – princess of connection

Do you consider yourself a lone wolf?

It’s funny because lone wolves are looking for a mate. They want to start or join a new pack. Wolfs know they’re stronger together.

Apes together strong, too.

We need a supportive environment to develop. You have it when you feel connected to the world and to other people.

If you feel lonely you need more oxytocin.

Here’s a list of 5 strategies to boost it:

1. Physical contact

  • People assume you need to be in a relationship to meet your need for physical touch, but that’s not true.
  • Hugging a friend when you meet or say goodbye works too.
  • Go for long hugs — they’re more effective.

2. Give something to others

  • Ever wonder why everyone talks about “adding value”?
  • It’s because giving is rewarding, even if it’s not about money.
  • You don’t have to create content to give. A small gift, like bringing water for a friend on a walk, works too.

3. Meet people in person

  • I’m not a big fan of meetings, but long-term isolation doesn’t help me either.
  • It’s with people that I get to share what I discover in solitude.
  • Honest, open conversations — especially listening — positively impact oxytocin.
  • Remember that uplifting feeling you get after a deep talk? That’s a sign of oxytocin-rich interaction.

4. Appreciate what you already have

  • In today’s world, it’s easy to focus on what’s missing.
  • But appreciating what you do have helps you feel more connected to reality.
  • What you already have is a miracle.
  • Practice gratitude by journaling — here’s a guide to get started.

5. Celebrate your wins

  • We’ve been taught to downplay our achievements to stay humble.
  • But oxytocin rises when you deepen your relationship with yourself.
  • Acknowledging your successes leads to a positive internal dialogue, one backed by real evidence and belief in your abilities.

Let’s go to the general state indicator.

Serotonin – well-being warrior

How do you know when something’s missing?

Your mood will tell you. And let me stress this: being in a bad mood isn’t bad. It’s a signal you need to do something differently to feel better.

Your current state is the result of everything happening inside you and around you. The sum of your worries, hopes, feelings, and thoughts.

When you feel terrible, your body is asking you to get to work.

You won’t always know what’s wrong. Often, the problem is so fundamental that you overlook it. Because who cares about the basics when you’ve got a million things to do?

But those basics are your foundation — without them, it’s hard to live well.

Start with these 5 strategies:

1. Harness the awakening power of sunlight for 5-20 minutes

  • Adjust based on the season and cloud cover.
  • Do this before checking social media.
  • Sunlight hitting the suprachiasmatic nucleus of your brain triggers cortisol release, which helps wake you up.
  • Best done before your coffee.

2. Practice “resonance breathing”

  • Slow, deep breaths for 2 minutes — aim for 6 breaths per minute.
  • To calm down: make your exhale longer or stronger than your inhale.
  • To energize: make your inhale longer or stronger than your exhale.

3. Take care of your gut

4. Spend time in nature

  • Remember the peace you feel when you come home after a long trip?
  • That calm connection happens because you’re returning to something familiar.
  • Nature is home for your body. Our hardware hasn’t caught up with modern tech.
  • Go for a walk in the forest—no phone, no watch, no headphones. Just be. Who knows, you might spot a squirrel.

5. Sleep deep

  • Relax before bed.
  • Take an hour-long break from screens before sleeping.
  • If you must watch something, choose longer content (15+ minutes) to avoid overstimulation.
  • Avoid eating for at least 3 hours before bed — don’t overeat.

Take care of tomorrow by preparing today.

Endorphins – messengers of calm

And the evening’s stars: endogenous morphine.

How can you not be amazed by our bodies?
Feel pain, and your body gives you a painkiller and a relaxant.
That’s why you’ve heard so many times to “run off your stress.”

Let’s get to it — here are 5 strategies to unlock your endorphins:

1. Exercise

  • Regular exercise reduces stress because it releases endorphins.
  • Ever heard of Runner’s High? That’s endorphins at work.
  • Physical effort always pays off.

2. Stretching

  • Try yoga.
  • Or practice mako-ho stretches.

3. Hot and cold exposure

  • Visit a sauna.
  • Or take a cold shower.
  • Your body will enter “fight or flight” mode as adrenaline floods your system.
  • Then, endorphins step in to help you think clearly and manage the stress.

4. Sing

  • Belt it out at the top of your lungs.
  • If you’re in the car, maybe no one will hear you. 😉

5. Laugh

  • Don’t take life too seriously — find its funny side.
  • Spend time with people who make you laugh.
  • Be the one to make others laugh too.

Conclusion

Covering the basics is the key to leveling up.

When you’re low on energy, it’s hard to think about a multi-step plan to improve your life. But things get much easier when you do things that are good for you every day.

Take the right D.O.S.E and start working on your brand, 9-5 job, and building a family.

Start with one strategy for each letter and focus on them for a month. When you feel ready, move on to the next steps. Along the way, use habit-building techniques.

James Clear explains this best in Atomic Habits.

Stop losing your own life.

This was possible for me, and it’s for you.
Stumble forward.

20 Strategies How to Get Your Shit Together With D.O.S.E

You’re a DOSE away from satisfaction

Are you tired of waking up without the energy to get out of bed?

Everyone talks about taking action. But you just lie there daydreaming. Thinking how nice it would be… If you could get everything without doing anything.

But that wouldn’t be nice.

Our bodies evolved over thousands of years to handle life’s challenges. Instead of buying meat at the store, you had to hunt it. When you wanted fun, you talked to others or painted hunting stories on cave walls.

See, dopamine helps keep us motivated during hard tasks. If you’re hunting for 2 days without food, something must keep you going. But life is easier now. Survival isn’t a problem. Entertainment is at your fingertips.

This was me:

  • drinking
  • doing drugs
  • watching porn
  • scrolling 9gag
  • constantly checking email and messenger

My body was sending signals that something was wrong. I felt empty inside. But instead of listening to myself, I found ways to silence these signals. Alcohol, drugs, and quick entertainment helped me avoid facing my feelings. I just took a sip* of a magic drink or a colorful pill.

Would you like to stop losing and hurting yourself with your actions?

Instead of quick pleasure and years of suffering, would you rather put in a little effort each day to regain energy for everything important in life?

Would you like to wake up excited about the day’s challenges?

It’s possible. All thanks to D.O.S.E.

*More like several glasses

The D.O.S.E That Helped Me

D.O.S.E stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins.

Together, they make the “happy chemicals” that keep your brain in the right state.

  • Dopamine is the queen of action.
    • It strengthens the connections in your brain that reward effort.
    • Thanks to dopamine, you can write articles or create apps.
  • Oxytocin is the princess of connection.
    • It tells you if you’re getting enough closeness with other people.
    • When it’s fulfilled, you feel calm and connected — like you’re part of something bigger.
  • Serotonin is the warrior of your well-being.
    • It shows you whether your body is in good shape.
    • A lack of serotonin makes you feel pain, irritated, or just down. It’s your body’s way of saying something needs to change.
  • Endorphins are the messengers of calm.
    • Their name comes from “endogenous morphine,” and they help relieve pain.
    • That’s why you feel lighter after a run or an intense workout.

What do they have to do with building your life?

If you don’t make sure you have enough of these chemicals, you’ll end up:

  • Without the energy to act
  • Without the motivation to change
  • Feeling down and losing belief in progress

And we don’t want that.

Change takes energy and faith in success.

You’ll have to do things that push you outside your comfort zone consistently.

Taking care of your state is the key to building your online empire.

Understanding how D.O.S.E works lets you make smart decisions to prepare yourself for the effort ahead.

The Effects of a D.O.S.E

Have you ever felt bursting energy right after waking up?

When you wake up and can’t wait for the rest of the day? Remember when you were a kid waiting for presents under the Christmas tree? That joyful anticipation, waiting to open your dream Lego set.
And then hours of play while your loved ones sat together at the table. Carefree and happy.

What would you give to feel that way again?

But this time, in the face of a challenge bigger than building Legos. The challenge of building the life you’ve dreamed of. Would you be willing to spend a few moments today to get that feeling in a month or two? And then experience it regularly? And finally, have the time and energy to give hope for the same to other people?

That’s what you can achieve.

Life when you take care of your D.O.S.E is hard to believe. I remember myself 5 years ago when cold sweat covered my forehead every morning. My heart pounded in my chest at the thought of messing everything up that day. The thought of a phone call with a client would literally turn me to stone. And the solution to all of this turned out to be a few habits.

A few habits now allow me to wake up with hope for a great day. Because I know what to do and what to avoid.

Below, you’ll find a list shared by TJ Power in Ali Abdaal’s Deep Dive podcast.

It’s a true compendium of knowledge about the habits worth building to regulate your D.O.S.E.

The Meat of D.O.S.E AKA How do you use science to improve your life

There’s no better advertisement for what understanding D.O.S.E offers.

It’s a chance to gain everything you’re missing.
Energy, mood, motivation — the big three you can’t change on a whim. You have to work for them.

Luckily, science is on our side.

Use it and see how these 20 methods help you regulate your D.O.S.E.

Dopamine – queen of action

Let’s get straight to the point.

Here’s what you can do. You’ll need to test what works for you and what doesn’t.

Let’s go.

1. Ditch the phone

  • Give yourself an hour after waking up to wake up properly.
  • Avoid social media. Why let 100 voices about the world overwhelm you before you’ve even thought about your day?
  • Take an hour before bed to unwind.
  • Phones are fast, easy distractions.
  • Instead, do something slow and intentional.

2. Take action when you wake up

  • Brush your teeth.
  • Splash your face with water.
  • Make your bed.
  • Go for a walk.

3. Work hard on what matters most

  • Focus on what you know is most important — it’s your best shot at moving forward.
  • When you work on something challenging for longer than 15 minutes, you can reach a flow state.
  • That flow state is closely tied to dopamine, which your brain releases as a reward for sustained effort.

4. Choose the harder path

  • As Jerzy Gregorek says: “Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.”
  • Hard decisions give you the chance for long-lasting satisfaction.
  • Have you ever been satisfied after scrolling 9gag until 2 a.m.?
  • How did you feel the next morning?
  • That’s why difficult tasks bring more fulfillment than empty pleasures — they trigger more dopamine release.

5. Follow what matters to you

Now, on to the connection.

Oxytocin – princess of connection

Do you consider yourself a lone wolf?

It’s funny because lone wolves are looking for a mate. They want to start or join a new pack. Wolfs know they’re stronger together.

Apes together strong, too.

We need a supportive environment to develop. You have it when you feel connected to the world and to other people.

If you feel lonely you need more oxytocin.

Here’s a list of 5 strategies to boost it:

1. Physical contact

  • People assume you need to be in a relationship to meet your need for physical touch, but that’s not true.
  • Hugging a friend when you meet or say goodbye works too.
  • Go for long hugs — they’re more effective.

2. Give something to others

  • Ever wonder why everyone talks about “adding value”?
  • It’s because giving is rewarding, even if it’s not about money.
  • You don’t have to create content to give. A small gift, like bringing water for a friend on a walk, works too.

3. Meet people in person

  • I’m not a big fan of meetings, but long-term isolation doesn’t help me either.
  • It’s with people that I get to share what I discover in solitude.
  • Honest, open conversations — especially listening — positively impact oxytocin.
  • Remember that uplifting feeling you get after a deep talk? That’s a sign of oxytocin-rich interaction.

4. Appreciate what you already have

  • In today’s world, it’s easy to focus on what’s missing.
  • But appreciating what you do have helps you feel more connected to reality.
  • What you already have is a miracle.
  • Practice gratitude by journaling — here’s a guide to get started.

5. Celebrate your wins

  • We’ve been taught to downplay our achievements to stay humble.
  • But oxytocin rises when you deepen your relationship with yourself.
  • Acknowledging your successes leads to a positive internal dialogue, one backed by real evidence and belief in your abilities.

Let’s go to the general state indicator.

Serotonin – well-being warrior

How do you know when something’s missing?

Your mood will tell you. And let me stress this: being in a bad mood isn’t bad. It’s a signal you need to do something differently to feel better.

Your current state is the result of everything happening inside you and around you. The sum of your worries, hopes, feelings, and thoughts.

When you feel terrible, your body is asking you to get to work.

You won’t always know what’s wrong. Often, the problem is so fundamental that you overlook it. Because who cares about the basics when you’ve got a million things to do?

But those basics are your foundation — without them, it’s hard to live well.

Start with these 5 strategies:

1. Harness the awakening power of sunlight for 5-20 minutes

  • Adjust based on the season and cloud cover.
  • Do this before checking social media.
  • Sunlight hitting the suprachiasmatic nucleus of your brain triggers cortisol release, which helps wake you up.
  • Best done before your coffee.

2. Practice “resonance breathing”

  • Slow, deep breaths for 2 minutes — aim for 6 breaths per minute.
  • To calm down: make your exhale longer or stronger than your inhale.
  • To energize: make your inhale longer or stronger than your exhale.

3. Take care of your gut

4. Spend time in nature

  • Remember the peace you feel when you come home after a long trip?
  • That calm connection happens because you’re returning to something familiar.
  • Nature is home for your body. Our hardware hasn’t caught up with modern tech.
  • Go for a walk in the forest—no phone, no watch, no headphones. Just be. Who knows, you might spot a squirrel.

5. Sleep deep

  • Relax before bed.
  • Take an hour-long break from screens before sleeping.
  • If you must watch something, choose longer content (15+ minutes) to avoid overstimulation.
  • Avoid eating for at least 3 hours before bed — don’t overeat.

Take care of tomorrow by preparing today.

Endorphins – messengers of calm

And the evening’s stars: endogenous morphine.

How can you not be amazed by our bodies?
Feel pain, and your body gives you a painkiller and a relaxant.
That’s why you’ve heard so many times to “run off your stress.”

Let’s get to it — here are 5 strategies to unlock your endorphins:

1. Exercise

  • Regular exercise reduces stress because it releases endorphins.
  • Ever heard of Runner’s High? That’s endorphins at work.
  • Physical effort always pays off.

2. Stretching

  • Try yoga.
  • Or practice mako-ho stretches.

3. Hot and cold exposure

  • Visit a sauna.
  • Or take a cold shower.
  • Your body will enter “fight or flight” mode as adrenaline floods your system.
  • Then, endorphins step in to help you think clearly and manage the stress.

4. Sing

  • Belt it out at the top of your lungs.
  • If you’re in the car, maybe no one will hear you. 😉

5. Laugh

  • Don’t take life too seriously — find its funny side.
  • Spend time with people who make you laugh.
  • Be the one to make others laugh too.

Conclusion

Covering the basics is the key to leveling up.

When you’re low on energy, it’s hard to think about a multi-step plan to improve your life. But things get much easier when you do things that are good for you every day.

Take the right D.O.S.E and start working on your brand, 9-5 job, and building a family.

Start with one strategy for each letter and focus on them for a month. When you feel ready, move on to the next steps. Along the way, use habit-building techniques.

James Clear explains this best in Atomic Habits.

Stop losing your own life.

This was possible for me, and it’s for you.
Stumble forward.


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