Hmm, this is interesting, but I wonder if there are any practical implications for folks? I seem to remember all the pop science advice based on the phenomenon of ego depletion could just as well be based on the idea of limited mental energy in the day.
For example, one implication is tackling more important and more difficult (requiring more willpower and more energy) earlier in the day rather than later. I will continue this practice because even if there is no limited supply of willpower in the sense of two tasks back-to-back, there definitely is a limited amount of mental energy.
Another example: eliminating many small decisions (I seem to remember one prominent example being Obama wearing the same set of suits all the time or something). This practice doesn’t need the idea of ego depletion either… Having to make a thousand little decisions may be less about willpower fatigue in the sense of muscle fatigue, and more about feeling overwhelmed (true “ego” depletion) and stress, leading to feelings of helplessness, pointlessness (lack of motivation/hope), etc.
So my question to all of you. Do you base any of your behaviors on the idea of ego depletion? And will you change any of these in light of this new evidence.
Also, I did find the idea of swishing glucose water for an energy boost interesting, but never bothered trying it. Anyone out there actually try this? Personally, actually consuming calories leads to a slump in energy (food coma) for me, but swishing and spitting may avoid this, so I’d be interested in people’s experiences with this in the real world.