It helped me a bit to understand that we have a finite capacity for self-control throughout the day, dictated in part by how much we’re exercising our executive functions.
Research has suggested that in the morning you have the highest reserve of will power and self-control, and as you make decisions through the day or make a conscious effort of control (ex. controlling your patience) it depletes a sort of reserve of decision-making energy. By the evening your ability to make good decisions is depleted and consequently people are more lisble to give into cravings etc.
The linked article goes on to suggest that it may be a circuit that can be improved through use. To me it highlighted the need to ration one’s high level decision-making, especially if you’re an analytical person by nature.
I found that if I let my brain go on auto-pilot it just “dwells” on questions without answers or situations that don’t benefit from further analysis. So sometimes if I notice that happening I just consciously end that train of thought and think of something else. It’s a form of executive function, but it’s easier to just say “Stop this train of unproductive thought” then to just go round and round on something with nothing to show for it.
It helped me a bit to understand that we have a finite capacity for self-control throughout the day, dictated in part by how much we’re exercising our executive functions.
Research has suggested that in the morning you have the highest reserve of will power and self-control, and as you make decisions through the day or make a conscious effort of control (ex. controlling your patience) it depletes a sort of reserve of decision-making energy. By the evening your ability to make good decisions is depleted and consequently people are more lisble to give into cravings etc.
The linked article goes on to suggest that it may be a circuit that can be improved through use. To me it highlighted the need to ration one’s high level decision-making, especially if you’re an analytical person by nature.
I found that if I let my brain go on auto-pilot it just “dwells” on questions without answers or situations that don’t benefit from further analysis. So sometimes if I notice that happening I just consciously end that train of thought and think of something else. It’s a form of executive function, but it’s easier to just say “Stop this train of unproductive thought” then to just go round and round on something with nothing to show for it.