Every and each one of us have been born with the capacity for willpower, but some of us use it more than others. People who have better control of their attention, emotions, and actions are better off almost any way you look at it. They are happier and healthier. Their relationships are more satisfying and last longer. They make more money and go further in their careers. They are way better at managing stress, dealing with conflict, and overcoming adversity. They even live longer.
So If we want to improve our lives, willpower is not a bad place to start. There for in this article we’ll be discussing some tips and strategies for more willpower and better self-control, and because distraction, temptation, impulse control, and procrastination are such universal human challenges, the strategies in this article will be helpful for any goal you choose. So lets start by taking a look at what it is we’re working with.
Willpower is divided to 3 parts “I will” power—the ability to do what you need to do, even if part of you doesn’t want to, “I won’t” power—the ability to say no to whatever temptations presented to you, and “I want” power—the ability to remember what you really want.
Our modern powers of self-control are the product of long-ago pressures to be better neighbours, parents, and mates. But how exactly did the human brain catch up? The answer appears to be the development of the prefrontal cortex. this system of self-control was slapped on top of the old system of urges and instincts. That means that for any instinct that once served us well, evolution has kept it around—even if it now gets us into trouble, and provided us with a way to handle the problems we run into. Take, for example, our taste buds’ delight in the foods most likely to make us fat. An insatiable sweet tooth once helped humans survive when food was scarce and extra body fat was life insurance. Fast-forward to our modern environment of fast food, junk food, and Whole Foods, Extra weight has become a health risk, not an insurance policy, and the ability to resist tempting foods is more important for long-term survival. But because it paid off for our ancestors, our modern brains still come equipped with a well-preserved instinct to crave fat and sweets. Fortunately, we can use the brain’s more recently evolved self-control system to override those cravings. So while we’re stuck with the impulse, we’re also equipped with the impulse control.
So lets get into the strategies one by one :
First strategy : Self-awareness, the best way to improve your self-control is to see how and why you lose control. Self-knowledge—especially of how we find ourselves in willpower trouble—is the foundation of self-control, knowing how and when you are likely to give in allows you to support yourself and avoid the traps that lead to willpower failures. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop and suppress each and every unwanted thought or craving you get. Trying to suppress thoughts, emotions, and cravings backfires and makes you more likely to think, feel, or do the thing you most want to avoid. So when an upsetting thought comes to mind, notice it and how it feels in your body.Accept that craving—just don’t act on it, and try not to immediately distract yourself or argue with it.
Wish brings us to the second strategy Wait ten minutes, Ten minutes might not seem like much time to wait for something you want, but neuroscientists have discovered that it makes a big difference in how the brain processes a reward. When immediate gratification comes with a mandatory tenminute delay, the brain treats it like a future reward. So institute a mandatory ten-minute wait for any temptation. Before the time is up, bring to mind the competing long-term reward of resisting temptation. But of course willpower is not all about mindset, yes, your mind is important, but your body also needs to get on board. And thats where the Third and the Fourth strategies fit in.
Third Strategy Exercise, in a study condacted by Megan Oaten, a psychologist, and Ken Cheng, a biologist, at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, eighteen women and six men ranging in age from eighteen to fifty years old, none of whom exercised regularly before the intervention, were given free membership to a gym and encouraged to make good use of it. They exercised an average of just one time per week for the first month, but were up to three times per week by the end of the two-month study. And the results were stunning, they showed improvements in attention and the ability to ignore distractions. They had reduced their smoking, drinking, and caffeine intake—despite the fact that nobody had asked them to. They were eating less junk food and more healthy food. They were spending less time watching television and more time studying. They were saving money and spending less on impulse purchases. They felt more in control of their emotions. They even procrastinated less. Exercise turns out to be the closest thing to a wonder drug that self-control scientists have discovered. At this point you probably asking yourself “How much do I need to do?” well “How much are you willing to do?” and “What kind of exercise is best?” again “What kind will you actually do?” The body and brain don’t seem to discriminate, so whatever you are willing to do is the perfect place to start.
Fourth Strategy Sleep well, Researches shows that Obesity rates are much higher among those who sleep for less than six hours a night, in part because sleep deprivation interferes with how the brain and body use energy. Researchers have also found that too little sleep creates impulse control and attention problems that mimic attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If you are surviving on less than six hours of sleep a night, there’s a good chance you don’t even remember what it’s like to have your full willpower. Being mildly but chronically sleep deprived makes you more susceptible to stress, cravings, and temptation. because Sleep deprivation impairs how the body and brain use glucose, their main form of energy. When you’re tired, your cells have trouble absorbing glucose from the bloodstream. This leaves them underfueled, and you exhausted. And Your energy-hungry prefrontal cortex, bears the brunt of this personal energy crisis. Sleep researchers even have a cute nickname for this state: “mild prefrontal dysfunction.”
Fifth Strategy Make it a group Project, Do other people in your social circle share your willpower challenge? Can you enlist others in a willpower challenge? You don’t have to conquer your willpower challenge alone. Is there a friend, family member, or coworker who could join you in your willpower goals? You don’t have to have the same goals; just checking in and encouraging each other can provide a boost of social support to your selfcontrol. If you like your social support with a touch of competition, enlist others in a willpower face-off. Who will be the first to finish a procrastinated task, or the person to save the most money in one month? in the end just keep in mind that everyone struggles in some way with temptation, addiction, distraction, and procrastination. These are not individual weaknesses, they are universal experiences and part of the human condition. So I hope that this article was helpful, and that the strategies mentioned will empower you to make real and lasting changes in your life.
Before you go i must mention that in writing this article i relied heavily on the book "The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It" by Kelly McGonigal. go read the book for more in depth information and other cool tips, its pure GOLD
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