Hisham Sarwar
Do you think there is a way to improve someone’s willpower?
This is the question that has been on the researchers’ mind as they learned more about the science behind this very human virtue. After carrying out many experiments and through studies, they discovered that willpower is like a muscle. This muscle gets tired from overuse and requires food to replenish.
So, if it does act like a muscle, can you strengthen it?
The answer to this question is, fortunately yes, willpower is the muscle that can be made stronger like any other muscle in your body. So, although it will be difficult in the short-run but eventually, it will become easier to say no to temptations. Following are the options that can help you increase the pool of willpower:
Learn to manage stress:
In order to begin with the process of increasing willpower, you need to manage your stress levels. When you are under stress, your body uses more energy to act instinctively and to make decisions that are based on the short-come outcomes. According to experts, by taking few deep breaths when you are tensed can help you to manage your stress level just in the beginning. By practicing this, it helps you to have an increased willpower.
Stay committed to your plans:
You need to have more self-control in order to stick to the plans that you have created for yourself. Take control of your situation by using positive affirmations and don’t use the phrases like I can’t or I won’t be able to do that.
Get enough sleep:
Your willpower usually gets pressed by the stress that is caused by sleep deprivation. It creates chronic stress that impairs how the body and brain uses energy. According to experts, when a sleep deprived person catches a better night’s sleep, their brain scan no longer shows signs of the prefrontal cortex impairment and live longest and happier lives.
Perform meditation:
You may be surprised but meditation will give the fastest results of all the willpower workouts that you have ever known. It is because meditation trains your brain to focus and resist the urge to wander. Research shows that after practicing meditation, your brain will be able to focus better; you will have more energy, and will feel a lot less stressed.
Exercise and take good diet:
This practice is often ignored and undervalued but exercise and better nutrition can make you a lot more resilient to stress. Any kind of regular physical exercise is very relaxing and provides benefits and trains your brain very well.
Focusing on just the important issues:
People who tell themselves not now, but later are less tormented by the temptations generally have an increased willpower. According to experts, avoiding the temptation of a bad habit forces your brain to postpone things that do not make a good addition to your life and it helps a lot to break the bad habits.
