These small dopamine hits

Some tasks are a slow grind, like simmering a big meal that takes hours to come together. Others are quick and satisfying—tiny fixes that deliver an instant hit of progress, like a little dopamine boost to keep you going.

by Geoffrey Dhuyvetters

March 18, 2025 ∙ 1 min read

I was on a call with a colleague the other day when he asked how I was doing.

“Good,” I replied, “just bundling a bunch of smaller UI tweaks in between this bigger task.”

He chuckled. “Ah, getting those small dopamine hits?”

And he wasn’t wrong.

A big refactor or major feature is like prepping an elaborate home-cooked meal. You’re chopping, simmering, waiting for things to bake. You know it’ll be worth it, but right now, it’s just a slow grind with no immediate payoff. There’s a lot of uncertainty—will the final dish turn out as expected? Will it even be edible? Meanwhile, you’re knee-deep in prep work, and the kitchen is a mess.

And then there’s junk food—those tiny, quick fixes that feel so good to ship. A minor UI tweak, a small bug fix, a performance improvement. Instant satisfaction, no waiting required. A small win that reminds you you’re still making progress, even if the big task isn’t done yet.

These small tasks aren’t just about feeding the user experience—they feed our motivation, too. They provide a sense of movement when everything else feels stuck in limbo.

That’s why I try to mix up the menu. When I’m in a long, complex task, I throw in a few small, satisfying fixes—not enough to spoil my appetite, but just enough to keep me going. Some junk food, a small snack.

In the end, it’s all about balance. If you only eat junk food, your product (and your focus) ends up malnourished. But if you only ever chase the big, slow-cooked meals, you risk burning out—or worse, burning the whole thing and having nothing to serve.