Decision Fatigue

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor. Propose/discuss new systems here.
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Georges Sen-Gupta
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Decision Fatigue

Post by Georges Sen-Gupta » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:05 am

An impressive NYT article by John Tierney about how mental energy comes and goes - I liked the wedding list example!

I was very cheered up to read this. I thought that being mentally exhausted and unable to function showed what a useless person I was. Now I can see that it is an entirely normal and predictable part of being human.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magaz ... wanted=all

eschano
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Post by eschano » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:48 pm

Many thanks for this. I found the article quite useful. I recognise the problem of depleting willpower more from shopping sprees than from dieting (as my default was to eat the chocolate cake).

Cheers
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:49 pm

Thanks for the link! Very relevant to everyday systems.

Most important part (I think) is at the end:
His studies show that people with the best self-control are the ones who structure their lives so as to conserve willpower... they establish habits that eliminate the mental effort of making choices.
Reinhard

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