Glucose Is Not Willpower Fuel (2011)

More interesting would be what is!

What I know: I will pursue harder tasks after consuming Sucrose and caffeine, while without consuming these unhealthy resources I might not. Also, Glucose availability to the brain is not really related to either consumption, though, afaik.

Would be happy about what others have found, especially from people with a more scientific approach than mine.

erikb: It's well known that stimulants improve concentration. That is how Adderall works. Taking stimulants will certainly make it possible for you to do mentally more demanding tasks requiring concentration, but so does things like exercise.

If you check out the procrastination equation, it describes several factors that we know affect whether if we do work or not. These are: impulsivity (personal character), expectancy x value (how enjoyable the task is) and delay. Basically taking stimulants makes a task more enjoyable (easier) and thus you are more likely to do it.

What the popular conception of "willpower" is more like something that acts against impulsivity or reduces it (at least temporarily). The equation does not contain such a variable and I don't think there's any evidence for the existence of such a thing.

I've found glucose is almost the opposite of willpower. If I do physical activity while there's sugar in my system, I feel unmotivated and sluggish.