The Nuance

You Can’t Deplete Your Willpower

Your self-control can fluctuate, but you probably can’t use it up

Markham Heid
Elemental
Published in
6 min readJan 14, 2021

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Illustration: Kieran Blakey

January is the month for resolutions, which also makes it the month for self-control. Whether you’re giving up your favorite latte or cutting back on Instagram, avoiding these and other temptations can feel draining. It’s as though you only have so much…

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Markham Heid
Elemental

I’m a frequent contributor at TIME, the New York Times, and other media orgs. I write mostly about health and science. I like long walks and the Grateful Dead.