Is willpower limited? Study on ego depletion suggests a hard day can lead to bad behaviour

Practising self-restraint for too long – which is often the case in a professional environment – can make you more prone to exertion and even irritation

A tough day at work can deplete self-restraint and willpower, which in turn leads to some people making counterproductive social and lifestyle choices. Getty Images

You’d be forgiven for thinking that “ego depletion” is a newfangled buzzword to add to the ever-growing lexicon around mental health. While the phrase might be relatively new, the concept has been around for a long time associated as it is with stress, burnout, aggression and self-regulation.

What is ego depletion?

Dr Lavina Ahuja, clinical psychologist at the German Neuroscience Centre, explains: “Ego depletion is the idea that you might find it difficult to practise self-control or self-regulation, especially after a day full of tasks requiring you to engage in those very things.

“It basically views your sense of ego – meant here in the psychoanalytical sense as the part of you that has to mediate between your immediate desires or wants with reality – as a finite resource that can get exhausted or depleted.”

Masa Valkanou, psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre, adds: “When you come home after you’ve had a hard day, it is tough to be disciplined about goals such as going to the gym or healthy eating, so you often end up making poor, impulsive choices that are against our established goals.”

Valkanou adds: “Ego depletion is not a new thing as key experiments on ego depletion were done in 1998 and have been done ever since. However, it is an idea that has gained popularity as it seems quite intuitive to our modern experience.

This “depletion” can not only impair your willpower and self-control, but also lead to feelings of irritation, feeling unco-operative and even less able to manage your emotions or behaviour towards others.

As Erica Ordali, a researcher in neuroscience and forensic and clinical psychology, noted in a recent study on the subject: “If you want to have a discussion with your partner and feel you are mentally exhausted, don’t. Take your time. Do it in another day.”

Ordali is the first author of last month’s study published in the American Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal, and titled Prolonged exertion of self-control causes increased sleep-like frontal brain activity and changes in aggressivity and punishment.

“Basically, ego – the important structure of our mental life – is compared to a muscle, where if it gets tired or exhausted, it will need some time to recover. If we continue this analogy, we can conclude that we should exercise our ego with regular daily stress to keep it in shape, though avoiding overwork,” explains Valkanou.

Signs you have ego depletion

Because the condition draws on different external factors and internal influences, and can develop across weeks, determining what is ego depletion versus what is traditional tiredness or brain fog can be tricky.

“Ego depletion may present itself in a variety of ways, including impulsivity, lack of motivation, emotional reactivity and impaired decision making,” says Hiba Salem, psychologist at Sage Clinics. “In situations of ego depletion, we may find ourselves being more prone to emotional outbursts or mood swings, as well as acting on impulse without fully thinking through the consequences. Accordingly, we may observe an increase in decisions that are not in line with our usual goals or values.”

Salem adds: “Additionally, there is an observed feeling of lower motivation or a decreased ability to tackle even basic tasks that require self-control.”

Making decisions or engaging in behaviours that may seem “out of character” are closely associated with ego depletion, as are irritability and a likelihood of giving into temptation, which may fuel addictive tendencies. Unrealistic goal-setting can also be a side effect of, and help to perpetuate the imbalance.

“Modern life has highlighted the tenants of ego depletion, specifically around the goals we set,” says Ahuja. “Our goals around body image, food and wants are influenced by social media or other triggers that sway us to set unrealistic goals. The energy and willpower we ‘spend’ on those unrealistic goals further propagate the ideas of depletion or, even worse, failure.”

Combating the effects of ego depletion

Lack of good quality sleep is closely linked with ego depletion, and those susceptible to it should be vigilant and mindful concerning modern pressures such as use of social media, overwork and the “hustle” and “grind” mentalities surrounding modern employment.

“Today’s business-orientated society has pressured inhuman ways of work, long hours and too many priorities for many,” says Valkanou. “While ego depletion isn't exclusive to modern life, constant demands such as information overload, 24/7 connectivity, work-life imbalance, and endless choices, make it more prevalent and intense than in the past.”

Actions aimed at replenishing and nurturing the body and mind are key to combating ego depletion. “Practise self-care such as regularly engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, while making time for short breaks to recharge and reduce mental fatigue,” says Salem. “Making time for mindfulness, meditation or deep breathing exercises to improve emotional regulation and develop additional skills.

“Tasks become more manageable when they are broken into chunks. Prioritise these based on importance and urgency, to allow for completion of goals without becoming overwhelmed or depleted.”

A sure-fire way to do this is to “ensure your goals are personally meaningful to you so you are well motivated,” advises Ahuja.