The One Odd Little Trick That Changed How I Work

Conserve Your Willpower

‘I just can't be bothered.’

‘I’m just too tired.’

‘I don’t have the energy today.’

Have you ever made these types of excuses when it's time to work?

If you have, please don't beat yourself up.

This form of procrastination is natural.

In a 2009 study, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, carried out an experiment whereby he asked students to sit next to a plate of fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookies.

He gave permission to some students to eat the cookies, and he told others to avoid eating any of the treats. Afterward, Baumeister gave both groups difficult puzzles to solve.

The students who’d resisted eating the cookies found these puzzles more difficult to complete, and they abandoned the task.

Their mental resources were depleted.

On the other hand, those students who ate the cookies worked on the puzzles for longer.

Baumeister found they were able to remain focused because they had more mental resources.

If you’re working on a difficult project, your productivity will suffer if your willpower is running low and you’re more likely to procrastinate.

The good news is it's easy to conserve your willpower and get stuff done.

Here is one of favourite techniques for doing just that:

Set yourself up for success the night before

At the end of your day, prepare the next day's work in advance. Decide what you are going to work on first and for how long.

You could even go as far as tidying your workspace, arranging your notes and opening up applications on your computer.

The next morning when you wake up and get to your desk, you won’t have to make any decisions about your work, and you won't have to waste time getting your tools or project ready.

All you have to do is sit down and do the work.

Later on, by all means procrastinate.

Go eat that cookie.

You earned it!