How your job affects willpower

If you’re trying to harness your willpower to lose weight, eat healthier, or go to the gym, read on.

Your life choices, especially what you choose as a career, can either deplete or replenish your willpower.

Consider the following study, reported in Brendan Brazier’s new book, Thrive Fitness.

This study divided children into 2 groups. Group A was taken to the beach for a day where they were free to do whatever they liked: play with kites, swim, and build sand castles.

Meanwhile, Group B was taught a monotonous subject in a classroom setting, while being monitored by adult supervision.

Afterwards, both groups of children were taken into a room and seated in front of a plate of freshly baked cookies. They were instructed not to touch the cookies. The adult left the room and the children were observed.

The children from Group A were able to control their cravings and the cookies were left untouched. However, Group B lacked the willpower to resist, and ended up eating the cookies.

Researchers extrapolated that the pleasure we take from some parts of our lives will affect our ability to restrain ourselves in other aspects of our lives.

If you’re having a hard time loving your job, you’ll have a much harder time coming home and avoiding the foods that contribute to a poor diet. But, if you allow yourself freedom and joy throughout your day, you’ll be more likely to choose swimming goggles over beer goggles.

Sources:

• Brendan Brazier, Thrive Fitness – Brendan also makes Vega bars, which are fantastic raw power bars
  
• Photo credit: http://www.smrussell.net/