Shadowing Practice: This Is How I Reduced My Screen Time (I Made a Dopamine Menu) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hi, I'm Valerie and I spend an embarrassing amount of time on my phone.
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I have a feeling if you're watching this,
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you are probably also completely and incredibly self-aware that you have a screen time problem too.
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But it's okay.
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We are certainly not alone.
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The average American spends about five hours a day on their phone every single day,
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which is 35 hours a week.
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Absolutely crazy.
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I am basically working a full-time job for my phone and it's not even paying me.
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Guys.
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After this humbling realization
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that i'm on my phone for 35 hours a week I decided to do something about it
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So i'm gonna make a list because in the moment
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when i'm bored or tired
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or just on autopilot My brain just goes completely blank I
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genuinely can't think of what to do besides reach for this
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We're going to intentionally write down what we can do instead
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of being on our phone I wrote down five things on
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my list since five felt doable I chose things I actually enjoy
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that I somehow keep forgetting that I enjoy First is coloring.
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I used to draw so much when I was younger However,
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I literally haven't picked up a pencil in like eight years Honestly,
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what actually got me back into it is a little silly I got really into smiskies,
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which sounds random They're so cute
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and I want all of them The problem is they're not cheap
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and I cannot justify spending that much on these tiny little guys
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So I decided to just draw one and color it in myself It kind of scratched the same exact itch,
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but I made it and then I made another one Second cook a full proper meal
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because my current situation is Instant ramen
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or what I can only describe as a girl dinner of a few chicken nuggets and gummies,
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which is acceptable, but probably not the most sustainable or healthy.
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I was inspired to make Gildan the other day from scratch,
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and it was so freaking good.
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I ended up making it another three times afterwards.
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Third, journaling.
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It has genuinely helped me a lot throughout my life,
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and I just kind of dropped it.
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I just want to reach for it before I reach for my phone,
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even if it's just once a day.
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Fourth, go on a walk outside with fresh air,
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maybe even no headphones, and I live really close to the beach,
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which is such a privilege,
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and I am not using it because I barely go,
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and that feels like something I should fix.
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Fifth is explore a new neighborhood,
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and even though I'm excited to just check out a local cafe,
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browse cute shops, walk around with no agenda really,
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it scares me a little.
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Just showing up somewhere I don't know with no real plan,
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but I think that's kind of the point.
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All things I somehow completely forget I love the second I'm on my couch with my phone in my hand.
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Guys, it's 11 p.m and it is one of those times where I really want to go on my phone
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Except we're not gonna do that instead.
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We're gonna consult the list However,
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this list Is not giving me very much Dopamine which means only one thing
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We're gonna make a dopamine menu and we're gonna make it cute
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and wonderful to look at because otherwise I'm not gonna look at it,
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let alone use it So we're going to design this all out on canva
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and I know it's ironic
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that i'm using screens I'm literally using two screens on my monitor to make this
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but down the line I'm hoping
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that this will help with being on my phone less 11 p.m Is kind of this danger zone
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when I disappear into my phone for two hours fall asleep
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And then before i've even fully opened my eyes the next
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morning i'm back on it again for most americans Their phone is the last thing they see at night
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and the first thing they see in the morning
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So i'm creating this do with me menu because
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when I have the urge to scroll i'll whip this out instead A dopamine menu was this term
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that I noticed floating around since last year.
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It's basically a personalized list of activities that you can do in the moment instead of scrolling on your phone.
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When I looked at my little list,
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I realized five things is a start,
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but it isn't quite enough because some days I have lots of energy and some days I have absolutely none,
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so the list needed levels.
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Instead of scrolling, I opened my laptop and started designing my dopamine menu with a cafe theme.
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Sips for when you have 5 to 15 minutes,
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full spread for when you have more than 45 minutes,
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when you actually have time and energy to invest in yourself.
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Pastries because not everything in life is fun Sometimes you have to do things you don't really want to do
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But you can make them nicer A cute drink,
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a candle, changing your scenery They're all the things
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that make the necessary stuff a little more enjoyable Desserts are
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your intentional treats Watching a movie you've been saving an actual dessert The difference between dessert and scrolling is intention And specials,
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these are the big ones The irregular ones like a concert,
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a beach day, exploring somewhere new Things that don't happen every week
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but that you actually want to show up for There's something for every mood,
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every energy level every version of me
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that reaches for her phone out of habit
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and every time i want to scroll this is what i'm reaching for instead the real problem isn't just
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that we're on our phones a lot it's that scrolling has replaced
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so many other things like going outside doodling
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and drawing for fun exploring different hobbies just hanging out with
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friends sitting with their own thoughts crazy i know without immediately
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reaching for something to distract us from said thoughts it became just
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so much easier to reach for our phones every time you scroll your brain gets a little hit of dopamine instantly,
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and these apps are literally designed to keep you on them for as long as possible.
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And when you finally get home after a full day of being on,
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being productive, being a functioning human being,
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sometimes the only thing your brain feels like it has the capacity for is literally nothing.
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Just laying there and not thinking.
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It may look lazy from the outside,
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but that's your nervous system seeking rest.
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And the problem is scrolling isn't actually true rest it just
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feels like it in the moment scrolling keeps your brain in this sort of low-grade state of stimulation
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so your stress response stays slightly elevated which means you're not actually recovering
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but just idling real rest the kind
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that actually fills you up tends to involve doing something light
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and creative something
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that puts you back in your body like a walk making something with your hands stuff
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that sounds more tiring than scrolling but leaves you feeling more refreshed
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and like yourself afterward so it's not just about using our phones less it's about replacing
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that time with things that actually mean something to us
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because our time is kind of everything what do you think y'all? it took me quite some time
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and effort but i appreciate looking at this
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so i think it was worth all the time invested into
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it even though i'm afraid i won't ever look at it again
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but the process of making this was very enjoyable for me this brings me
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so much dopamine i was gonna say bring you so much joy
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but then it's a dopamine cafe menu so I finished my dopamine menu.
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It took so freaking long This took me an absurd amount of time,
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but I am very happy with how it turned out
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Despite it probably taking me six to eight hours I don't know why I didn't just decide to print it.
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Let me just walk you through it.
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Shall I?
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Yes, okay, so there's a lot on here
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and that's exactly the beauty of the dopamine cafe
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because you can use your free will to choose whatever option at any given moment.
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Sips, I've been making my own drinks at home.
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Matcha with an Earl Grey syrup that is homemade and with a cold foam on top.
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Does it taste exactly like the cafe version?
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Not quite, but it's getting there.
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Honestly, the ritual of making it is so satisfying.
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Full spread, one of them is sitting down for a proper reading sesh.
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This has honestly become one of my favorite ways to spend time off my foam.
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There's something about getting completely lost in a good story for an hour that no amount of scrolling has ever given me.
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My Kindle has been getting the screen time in desserts.
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Pastries, like an accountability buddy or body doubling.
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Body doubling?
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Body doubling?
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Body doubling.
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Oh my.
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Basically doing work alongside friends in a different environment.
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We went to a cafe,
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got our drinks, got stuff done.
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It didn't feel like work.
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It felt like a chill hangout on a Friday afternoon.
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Desserts, I baked matcha muffins.
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For myself and for some friends on a Saturday morning with nowhere to be.
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And it was just cozy.
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The kind of cozy that actually fills you up
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because you get to make something and enjoy eating what you make End specials,
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going to the beach, which I live embarrassingly close to
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And I keep saying I will go and I'm really trying to We played spike ball,
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dipped our toes in the water,
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watched the sunset And I just kept thinking this was always here
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and it is absolutely amazing being here But I just kept choosing to stay inside on my phone instead Okay,
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so I'm currently editing the video And y'all are probably wondering
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if creating this dopamine cafe has affected my screen time at all and I am pleased to report it has helped.
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The week I made it,
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my screen time was about 4 hours and 24 minutes and this week,
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about 3 weeks later, it is 2 hours and 46 minutes which is a 37% decrease.
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I'd say it's fabulous and it was around like 15% less every week until this week.
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Granted, this week is not over yet
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so there's still one more day of the week
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but I'd also like to mention that my second most used app is Google Maps
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So basically I wasn't actively using my phone.
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I just happened to have it open when I was driving.
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Looking back, I didn't feel like I was in the right headspace mentally
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and it was almost directly correlated with how much screen time I had on my phone.
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And now I do feel significantly better just being able to
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rediscover what I enjoy doing with my free time instead of just being on my phone.
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I wouldn't say that the dogmi menu completely changed my life,
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But it's this tool that has really helped me be more intentional with my time So if it is 11 p.m.
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At night
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and you happen to be watching this video on your phone
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I think this might be a sign to try it out
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and make a dopamine menu
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or dopamine cafe of your own Make it personalized make it yours and just have fun with it
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you’ll practice your English speaking skills through a topic that resonates with many: reducing screen time and finding enjoyable alternatives. By shadowing Valerie as she discusses her personal experience, you’ll engage in shadow speech that enhances both your pronunciation and comprehension. This practical lesson emphasizes the importance of being aware of daily habits while encouraging you to explore fulfilling activities beyond the screen. Get ready to learn useful vocabulary and phrases that will enrich your conversations about daily life and self-improvement.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Screen time - The amount of time spent looking at a screen, typically measured in hours per day.
- Autopilot - A state of mind where one acts without consciously thinking about it.
- Dopamine Menu - A list of enjoyable, non-screen-related activities that provide happiness or satisfaction.
- Journaling - The practice of writing down thoughts, feelings, or experiences in a diary.
- Exploring - Trying out new places or activities, often with a sense of adventure.
- Guilty Pleasures - Activities or items that one enjoys but feels reluctant to admit to enjoying.
- Mindfulness - The practice of being present and fully engaged in the moment.
Practice Tips
To enhance your English speaking practice, try using the shadowing technique while watching the video. This means you will listen closely to Valerie's speech, then repeat what she says in real-time, imitating her intonation and rhythm. As you practice, pay attention to the following:
- Start by listening to short segments of the video, pausing after each sentence to repeat it out loud. This will help you match the natural flow of conversation.
- Focus on the emotional tone of Valerie's voice. Notice how her enthusiasm for activities like cooking and journaling can change her intonation. Mirroring this can improve your expressive speech.
- Utilize shadowspeak to turn your practice into a dialogue. After shadowing, take a moment to express your own thoughts about alternatives to screen time. Use the vocabulary list to help frame your sentences.
- Engage in discussions with friends or language partners about the topics she covers. Sharing your own “dopamine menu” can be a fun exercise and encourage spontaneous speaking.
By incorporating these techniques into your practice, you’ll not only enhance your fluency but also gain confidence in expressing your ideas and experiences in English. Enjoy your practice!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | you've been saving · I've been making · has been getting |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't picked · has genuinely helped · i've even fully opened |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Dopamine which means · elevated which means · minutes which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was inspired · are literally designed |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.