I wasted hours scrolling every day… until I accidentally learned to love studying

Assalamu alaikum, For years I blamed myself for being lazy. I had all the motivation in theory, but when it was time to study or get things done I’d somehow end up glued to my phone, watching short clips, or “researching” productivity tips I never used. It finally hit me that it wasn’t really motivation that was the issue - it was my brain chasing quick hits of dopamine. Notifications, endless new tabs, and bite-sized videos kept winning. Studying just couldn’t compete with that nonstop novelty. Instead of deleting apps or going cold turkey, I tried something a bit strange: I let myself binge on exactly what my brain wanted. For one week I gave myself permission to waste time properly. No guilt, no half-working, no sneaky productive breaks - just hours of scrolling, clicking, refreshing. By the end of most days I was mentally wiped. My brain wasn’t satisfied anymore, it was tired of it. At first I thought the whole plan was dumb, but after that binge period something odd happened: when the scrolling hour was over I actually didn’t want to go back. For the first time studying started to feel like the thing my brain saw as forbidden and therefore wanted. So I ran with it. One hour became 90 minutes, then two, then full study blocks. I’d even stop mid-topic and go pray, which made me itch to come back and pick up where I left off. To keep it interesting I mixed things up: color-coding notes, talking things out loud, teaching short bits to study partners or siblings. Gradually my brain began to link that same rush to learning instead of endless scrolling. Now, Alhamdulillah, deep focus feels natural. I can work or study for 8–10 hours with normal breaks for prayer without forcing myself. If I spend too long on my phone now, it actually makes me restless. I didn’t try to “quit” dopamine - I redirected it. With a few tweaks and Allah’s help, I taught my brain to chase it somewhere better.