Have you ever finished a day and felt so worn out and mentally depleted that you give in to stuff that your mind knows you shouldn't give in to for your own sake? That extra 3 hours binge-watching on YouTube, that midnight pizza or biryani, that one drink that turns into 5. It is a mode we see ourselves slipping into often and waking up the next day with regret. Have you ever wondered why you give in? I know I have, and that's when I heard about Ego depletion as a concept.
Ego depletion is a psychological concept that equates our mind, especially the part that focuses on self-control & willpower, to a battery with a limited daily charge. When we wake up in the morning, our willpower battery is fully charged, and we find ourselves having the mental strength to focus and not give in to things we shouldn't give in to. However, as the day goes on, this battery depletes, and we slowly lose the energy to withstand temptation, and the eventual dropping of our guard happens. It also shows why we end up being more cranky as the day goes on.
So, is there a way to not deplete the battery and reduce the volume of this stream of depletion? So the concept suggests that while the best solution to stem this depletion is a good nights sleep, another solve is having intermittent breaks during the day, even if they're short ones, to help this battery from depleting too quickly.
So, next time you see yourself going too back to back in the day, give yourself fifteen minutes or half an hour and help that battery recharge. It might just ensure you don't drain your will power too quickly and ensure that you still have some self control as the day winds up.
Weekly recommendations
Adam Grant in conversation with Malcolm Gladwell ( an episode that involves audio from a live fireside chat and a clubhouse chat) Just listen because its two supremely smart people having an enthralling conversation.
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A short clip of Naval Ravikant talking about how to get wealthy
Quote of the week
”when you doubt your power, you give power to your doubts”
- Diane Von Furstenberg
✌🏽
Ego Depletion + weekly recommendations