Scientific studies have discovered that willpower (or self-control) is like a muscle that can be strengthened by performing simple daily activities, like sitting up straight, helping a stranger, eating healthy food or doing small exercises. These experiments have shown that such simple activities result in higher levels of self control in other unrelated areas of people’s lives.
The key is to have the discipline to perform these planned activities every day. Therefore, we believe it is essential to set goals and consistently monitor the results, as well as to understand and state the main reason why you want to increase your willpower. (We’ll give you examples to get you started.)
Further, the scientific studies have found that we have an internal reservoir of ‘self control’, which is of a certain capacity at any given time. The capacity can be increased, but can also diminish throughout the day whenever you need to fight temptation. Therefore, it helps to understand when and how your reservoir is being depleted.
This App aims to help you strengthen and increase your willpower by providing the following functions:
- Set goals (simple – improving your posture, drinking less soda, helping a stranger, doing small exercises; or more difficult goals – reducing cigarettes, alcohol, spending or eating less calories);
- Record your daily results, comments and performance rating;
- Monitor your results by reviewing the daily, weekly and monthly tables;
- Activate customizable notifications on a timer, displaying your favorite inspiring quotes. They will appear whether the App is open or closed. We find these reminders really useful for maintaining your focus and motivation during the day.
- Write down your primary purpose in using this App; and
- Write down a list of your signs of willpower depletion (such as less patient, more irritable, hungrier, extra lazy) so that you can make immediate changes to balance yourself by taking a time-out or simply eating a piece of fruit.
Why did we do this?
We were inspired to create this app after listening to two interviews about ‘Willpower’ and ‘Self Control’ (dated 12/31/11 and 6/22/12) on www.sciencefriday.com and reading a book titled: “Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength” by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney.