Dopamine Menu Template (Printable PDF & GoodNotes)
A dopamine menu laid out like a restaurant menu, with four checklist boxes: starters (five-minute boosts), mains (longer resets), sides (things to pair with boring tasks) and desserts (enjoy in moderation). Fill it in on a good day so it's ready on a stuck one.
- Printable US Letter8.5 × 11 in, white paper
- Printable A4210 × 297 mm, white paper
- iPad / GoodNotesAlso Notability and Noteshelf
- E-ink tabletreMarkable, Kindle Scribe, Boox
Free PDF, 1 page, undated. No sign-up needed.
Shown for iPad in the Pastel Rainbow theme. Printable downloads use white paper (there's a dark mode preview below); the e-ink version is black and white.
One page, ready to fill in.
- Boxes for starters — 5 min boosts, mains — longer resets, sides — pair with boring tasks and desserts — enjoy in moderation
- Undated, so you can print or duplicate it as often as you need
Getting the most from a dopamine menu.
Write it when you feel OK
When you're stuck, choosing is hard. Fill the menu in on a good day, so on a bad one you only need to pick something from a list you already trust.
Make starters genuinely short
Starters are five-minute boosts: a song you love, a cold drink, stepping outside, a stretch. If it needs planning or money, it's a main.
Use sides for boring tasks
Sides go alongside tasks you put off: a podcast while folding laundry, a favourite drink while doing admin, body-doubling on a video call. They make the task easier to start.
Be honest about desserts
Desserts are the things that feel good but can swallow an afternoon: scrolling, gaming, shopping. Listing them isn't banning them; it's deciding when they fit.
Keep it visible
Pin the printout near your desk or make it the first page of your planner. A menu you have to search for won't get used.
Included in 1 planner
This template is a page in this planner. Open it to see everything else that comes with it.
Get it inside a full hyperlinked planner
The adhd planner includes this page alongside dated month and week pages for your year, with side tabs and links between every page. Pick your device and theme, preview it free, and pay only when it's right.
- Dated pages for the whole year
- Tap a tab or a date to jump there
- GoodNotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, e-ink and print sizes
Opens the adhd planner with the ADHD Toolkit section switched on.
Or read about the adhd planner first.
What is a dopamine menu?
A list of activities that lift your mood or energy, sorted by how long they take, like a restaurant menu. It's popular with people who have ADHD as a way to get unstuck without defaulting to scrolling.
What are examples for each section?
Starters: dance to one song, splash cold water, step outside. Mains: a walk, a workout, a creative project. Sides: music, a podcast, a fidget, working in a café. Desserts: a TV episode, games, social media.
Is it only for ADHD?
No. Anyone who gets stuck, procrastinates or burns out can use one. It was popularised in ADHD communities because it suits the way ADHD affects motivation.
What else is in the ADHD planner?
Brain dump pages, task breakdown pages, a time audit, a habit tracker and simple daily pages, all linked from the side tabs so there's less to navigate.
