culled from:http://www.businessinsider.com
The New Year is a reminder that we're our own worst enemies.
In fact, a study of one million people around the world revealed that most people believe self-control is their biggest weakness.
But willpower is like a muscle: it can be strengthened — and fatigued — with use.
"You only have a finite amount as you go through the day, so you should be careful to conserve it and try to save it for the emergencies," says New York Times author John Tierney, who co-authored a book with social psychologist Roy Baumeister, "Willpower: The Greatest Human Strength," which looks at how willpower and decision-making are interconnected.
We pulled out some of the best takeaways, which Tierney covered in two excellent pieces for the Times ("Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?" and "Why You Need To Sleep On It").
Make your most important decisions in the morning, before you experience "ego depletion"
As the day wears on, your energy reserves are further depleted.
Source: NY Times
Our finite supply of "decision-making power" means that all of the small decisions add up quickly
Researchers found that shoppers who "had already made the most decisions in the stores gave up the quickest" on a math test.
Source: NY Times
"Once you're mentally depleted, you're more likely to make trade-offs"
"To compromise is a complex human ability and therefore one of the first to decline when willpower is depleted," reports the Times.
At the end of the day, when we're more physically and mentally fatigued, we're more likely to skip the gym after work or drink more during happy hour.
At the end of the day, when we're more physically and mentally fatigued, we're more likely to skip the gym after work or drink more during happy hour.
Your brain needs glucose in order to make good decisions
Grocery retailers discovered this decades ago.
Researchers found that, "just when shoppers are depleted after all their decisions in the aisles -- with their willpower reduced, they’re more likely to yield to any kind of temptation, but they’re especially vulnerable to candy and soda and anything else offering a quick hit of sugar."
Source: NY Times
"People spend three to four hours a day resisting desire"
Though our independent analysis is that we're usually fighting some sort of desire at any given moment.
We use the same mental energy reserves to fight off temptation as we do to make complex decisions.
Source: NY Times
We use the same mental energy reserves to fight off temptation as we do to make complex decisions.
Source: NY Times
Smart people develop routines -- that way, they eliminate stress and conserve energy for important decisions
And they make time for adequate sleep, eating healthfully and exercising
Women help groups make better decisions
A study evaluating 192 groups found that those with women had the highest group intelligence, according to research published in the Harvard Business Review.
Our unconscious plays a key role in helping us make good decisions
"Because your conscious attention is limited, you should enlist the help of your unconscious," according to the Harvard Business Review.
Even if you don't have the option to delay your decision, engaging in another activity will take your mind off your dilemma, and allow your unconscious to surface.
Sometimes, it's best to run your ideas by others
But they also know when too many ideas can complicate their decision-making.
There's value to simply caving in and saying "yes" to the "wrong choices" once in a while
It can reinvigorate you, so you don't feel completely deprived all the time.
There's a reason why people celebrate Mardis Gras before the Lenten season.
Source: NY Times
There's a reason why people celebrate Mardis Gras before the Lenten season.
Source: NY Times
There's also power in deciding NOT to decide -- or having others do it for you
Are there decisions you don't have to make right now, or you can have someone else make for you?
"Instead of deciding every morning whether or not to force themselves to exercise, [smart people] set up regular appointments to work out with a friend," reports the Times.
If you want to conserve energy in the short run, this is a good move. But keep in mind that when you put off too many decisions, you'll likely have added stress later.
"Instead of deciding every morning whether or not to force themselves to exercise, [smart people] set up regular appointments to work out with a friend," reports the Times.
If you want to conserve energy in the short run, this is a good move. But keep in mind that when you put off too many decisions, you'll likely have added stress later.
It comes down to preparing for your moments of weakness -- because we're only human, after all
His studies show that people with the
best self-control are the ones who structure their lives so as to
conserve willpower. They don’t schedule endless back-to-back meetings.
They avoid temptations like all-you-can-eat buffets, and they establish
habits that eliminate the mental effort of making choices. ... Instead
of counting on willpower to remain robust all day, they conserve it so
that it’s available for emergencies and important decisions.
“The best decision makers are the ones," he says, "who know when not to trust themselves.”The keys are planning ahead, not overwhelming yourself with choices, and conserving your energy
Because at the end of the day, you do have to make decisions.
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