The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do To Get More of It

by Kelly McGonigal

Neuroscientists have discovered that when you ask the brain to meditate, it gets better not just at meditating, but at a wide range of self-control skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness.

Regular meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, as well as regions of the brain that support self-awareness.

A short practice that you do every day is better than a long practice you keep putting off to tomorrow.

Yes!

Physical exercise—like meditation—makes your brain bigger and faster, and the prefrontal cortex shows the largest training effect.

he loves productivity seminars because they make him feel so productive—never mind that nothing has been produced yet.)

Yes!

Students who were harder on themselves for procrastinating on their first exam were more likely to procrastinate on later exams than students who forgave themselves. The harder they were on themselves about procrastinating the first time, the longer they procrastinated for the next exam! Forgiveness—not guilt—helped them get back on track.

Interesting