4 ms·

Really? That sounds fascinating - have you got any references I could follow up on? It's always felt like it should be true, but after acting as if it isn't for

Really? That sounds fascinating - have you got any references I could follow up on? It's always felt like it should be true, but after acting as if it isn't for a while it didn't seem to hold to me.

gruseom 16y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion
acgourley 16y ago
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tough-choices-how-making http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tough-choic...
michaelkeenan 16y ago
Some studies have found willpower to be a limited resource. It is often likened to a muscle, because using it depletes its power in the immediate-term, but regular exercise increases its strength in the long-term. Wikipedia article on this phenomenon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion The Wikipedia article is quite dry, however, and I suggest this readable NYTimes article instead: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html Or this one: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/how-to-boost-your-willpower/ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/how-to-boost-your-w... That second NYTimes link mentions that the mechanism of willpower depletion might be glucose depletion. Drinking a sugary drink restores willpower. (This effect has also been shown to be true of the self-control of dogs: http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/dogs-offer-clues-to-self-control-10928/ http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/dogs-offer-clues-to-self...) Regulating your emotions also depletes willpower (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/mu-rda092409.php http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/mu-rda092409.... but it doesn't go into detail on the regulating emotions part). I have observed that tolerating irritating people harms my productivity. I warn that at least one study has failed to replicate the willpower depletion result: http://lesswrong.com/lw/1fe/antiakrasia_technique_structured_procrastination/196o?c=1 http://lesswrong.com/lw/1fe/antiakrasia_technique_structured...
ra88it 16y ago
The fact that you didn't know this is evidence that you've been following your own advice. Bravo! Personally I'm skeptical of most of the conclusions I've read about ego depletion. I think it's like anything else: there's a balance to be found between self control and self release. And the more you work at it, the more you can yield and still stay balanced.

Really? That sounds fascinating - have you got any references I could follow up on? It's always felt like it should be true, but after acting as if it isn't for a while it didn't seem to hold to me.

gruseom 16y ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion

acgourley 16y ago

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tough-choices-how-making http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tough-choic...

michaelkeenan 16y ago

Some studies have found willpower to be a limited resource. It is often likened to a muscle, because using it depletes its power in the immediate-term, but regular exercise increases its strength in the long-term. Wikipedia article on this phenomenon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion The Wikipedia article is quite dry, however, and I suggest this readable NYTimes article instead: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html Or this one: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/how-to-boost-your-willpower/ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/how-to-boost-your-w... That second NYTimes link mentions that the mechanism of willpower depletion might be glucose depletion. Drinking a sugary drink restores willpower. (This effect has also been shown to be true of the self-control of dogs: http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/dogs-offer-clues-to-self-control-10928/ http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/dogs-offer-clues-to-self...) Regulating your emotions also depletes willpower (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/mu-rda092409.php http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/mu-rda092409.... but it doesn't go into detail on the regulating emotions part). I have observed that tolerating irritating people harms my productivity. I warn that at least one study has failed to replicate the willpower depletion result: http://lesswrong.com/lw/1fe/antiakrasia_technique_structured_procrastination/196o?c=1 http://lesswrong.com/lw/1fe/antiakrasia_technique_structured...

ra88it 16y ago

The fact that you didn't know this is evidence that you've been following your own advice. Bravo! Personally I'm skeptical of most of the conclusions I've read about ego depletion. I think it's like anything else: there's a balance to be found between self control and self release. And the more you work at it, the more you can yield and still stay balanced.