Recently, many of my coaching clients have told me how sluggish they feel at this time of the year. They’re wondering how to boost their motivation to get things done. Coincidentally, I recently listened to the Huberman Lab podcast episode, “Leverage Dopamine to Overcome Procrastination & Optimize Effort.”

Feeling sluggish at work? Start by looking at dopamine

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter in your brain that plays a role in many important functions, including motivation, reward, and learning. Huberman shared some tips on how to leverage dopamine. Some you may already know, but perhaps there are one or two you’ll want to try to see if they make a difference.

When you feel sluggish at work, it may signal that your dopamine levels and other brain chemicals for motivation are not working as well as they could. Healthy dopamine regulation supports your drive to start tasks, stay engaged, and finish them. When dopamine is low, you may notice reduced energy, more mental fog, and slow starts on simple tasks.

Common signs of low dopamine include feeling tired, flat, or unmotivated, though only a medical professional can assess underlying conditions. Tracking dopamine and energy levels can help you see when you work with the most focus and when you are overcoming sluggishness.

Dopamine is one of the chemicals that influences neurotransmitter function, your brain’s reward system, and your focus and attention. When you understand how dopamine affects focus, it becomes clear why deep work is harder when you scroll on your phone or switch between apps. Small shifts during your day can support better neurochemical balance, strengthen the brain-body connection, and improve your self-regulation. Even simple actions can create a real motivation boost and make it easier to show up at work in the way you intend.

To establish a healthy level of dopamine:

1. Have a regular exercise or movement regime and figure out a time in your day for it. Even a 15-minute walk could be all you need to get you motivated to work on your to-do list.
2. Get the rest you need. The optimum number of hours of sleep is different for everyone, so listen to your body. Try to wake up and go to bed at specific times whenever possible, even on your days off.
3. View early-morning sunlight for ten to thirty minutes daily. I know this is easier if a walk is part of your commute (or you have a dog!). When the weather cooperates, take a short, mindful morning walk and see how you feel afterward. There is also some research that supports taking a one to three-minute cold shower, known to increase baseline dopamine for hours.
4. Ingest caffeine in moderation. The recommended amount of caffeine daily is approximately 100 to 400 mg. Depending on your choice of beverage, this could be only two or three cups a day. Some people should also avoid caffeine too close to sleep.
5. Eat tyrosine-rich foods. These include meat, nuts, or hard fermented cheese.
6. Avoid viewing bright lights between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Try these tips to help you accomplish your goals without creating more stress.

Turning science into daily dopamine routines

You can build simple dopamine routines into your day to support managing dopamine in a steady way. Many people look for quick dopamine tips, but research supports natural ways to increase dopamine instead of short spikes.

Activities like viewing morning light, moving your body, and eating tyrosine-rich foods help set a steady dopamine baseline that supports attention and follow-through. These behavioral strategies for motivation fit into your normal schedule and make it easier to avoid feeling sluggish at work.

Morning sunlight is one of the strongest natural ways to increase dopamine because it also supports your internal clock. Spending a few minutes outside soon after waking gives you morning sunlight benefits that support circadian rhythm and motivation, mood, and alertness.

A steady sleep routine, gentle caffeine moderation, and short cold exposure benefits from a cool shower work together to support neurochemical balance and overall energy management. These habits help your brain and body recover from stress over time.

Movement is another key part of exercise for motivation and mental performance improvement. Even a short walk or stretch can give you a motivation boost and help with boosting mental clarity later in the day. When you pair movement with supportive nutrition and tyrosine-rich foods, you create lifestyle habits for productivity that support long-term performance. These habits work with your motivation pathways instead of against them.

Using dopamine to tackle procrastination and workday stress

At work, many people deal with dopamine and procrastination, especially on tasks that feel boring or hard. Instead of waiting for motivation, you can use behavioral strategies for motivation such as breaking tasks into tiny steps, using a ten-minute timer, or giving yourself a short break after focused work. These approaches reduce pressure, support mental performance improvement, and help you stay on track. They also strengthen self-regulation, which helps you avoid long stretches of distraction.

If you often feel sluggish at work, try adding one or two new lifestyle habits for productivity each week. You might walk outside after lunch or set a time to wind down screens to protect your sleep routine.

For more productivity tips, you might like our article on boosting productivity. If low energy is tied to stress, it may help to practice stress reduction, adjust your habits, or explore small mindset shifts that support resilience. Over time, these choices build resilience strategies that help you stay steady when work feels demanding.

Beth Benatti Kennedy is an executive coach and PathWise advisor. You can purchase her book, Career Re-Charge, here.

You can listen to the podcast here: https://hubermanlab.com/controlling-your-dopamine-for-motivation-focus-and-satisfaction/