Whenever you do something that reduces your own freedoms in the service of a greater goal, you’re using a commitment device. Telling your boss you’ll finish an optional report by a certain date is a commitment device to get that work done. A traditional piggy bank—the ceramic kind that you have to break open if you want to access the money inside—is a commitment device that makes it ever-so-slightly harder to dip into your savings. Stocking your kitchen with small plates is a commitment device to help you eat smaller portions. Downloading an app like Moment that lets you set daily limits on
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