Researchers call it "ego depletion," but let's skip the jargon. Think of it as your willpower bank account. You start each day with a fixed deposit. Every decision makes a withdrawal:
- Resisting the snooze button: $5 - Choosing healthy breakfast over donuts: $10 - Focusing on work instead of checking social media: $15 - Being patient with a difficult coworker: $20 - Deciding what to make for dinner: $10 - Resisting late-night Netflix: $15
By evening, you're overdrawn. That's when you find yourself: - Snapping at loved ones over nothing - Eating ice cream straight from the container - Making impulse purchases online - Staying up too late scrolling - Breaking promises to yourself
The fascinating part? It doesn't matter if you're spending your willpower on important decisions or trivial ones. Your brain withdraws the same currency either way.