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在快節奏、高压力的现代社会中,谁没有一点拖延症?想起来,小编在读书的时候就患上了拖延症:一个月前布置的论文摆在那,心里想着明天吧,明天就开工。然后明天又想着明天,结果当然就是等到火烧眉毛的时候才如梦初醒,熬夜赶工。
同学,拖延是病,得治。
In 2009, Fred Stutzman was a graduate student at the University of North Carolina and he was trying to complete some important work on his thesis.
But there was a problem.
His favorite coffee shop, which had previously been a quiet place where he could escape distraction and get work done, had just added a new and very dangerous feature.
Wireless internet.
Now Stutzman found himself constantly distracted by the endless supply of entertainment and social media on the web—even if he really wanted to get something done. He tried disconnecting from the Internet, but it wasn’t that simple. He was always clicking it back on to “take a break.” He was constantly fighting the urge to check his messages and updates.
Thankfully, Stutzman happened to be a programmer studying Information Science. When he went home that night, he decided to create a software program that would solve his problem.
The program was simple. You turned the application on, told it how long you wanted to focus, and it prevented your computer from going online for that amount of time. If you wanted to get back on before your time was up, you had to turn your computer completely off and reboot.
The program was called Freedom and not long after Stutzman created it, the application was everywhere. It was mentioned by NPR, The Economist, The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Time, and nearly every major news outlet you can imagine. More than 500,000 people downloaded it.
It seems that many people were struggling with online procrastination.
Why did Freedom work so well? And what can it teach us about sticking to better habits and mastering our willpower?
The Power of Decision Elimination
Making decisions over and over again will drain your willpower. This is true even if it’s the same, tiny decision—like constantly resisting the urge to check your email. (Another example: continually trying to follow a new, strict diet.)
You might be able to resist for five minutes or an hour or maybe even a week, but eventually, your willpower will begin to fade and you’ll give in. This is known as decision fatigue.
The Freedom app that Stutzman designed is effective not only because it prevents you from reaching the web, but also because it reduces decision fatigue. It eliminates your options and, as a result, doing the right thing becomes much easier. In other words, the application places a constraint on your behavior.
同学,拖延是病,得治。
In 2009, Fred Stutzman was a graduate student at the University of North Carolina and he was trying to complete some important work on his thesis.
But there was a problem.
His favorite coffee shop, which had previously been a quiet place where he could escape distraction and get work done, had just added a new and very dangerous feature.
Wireless internet.
Now Stutzman found himself constantly distracted by the endless supply of entertainment and social media on the web—even if he really wanted to get something done. He tried disconnecting from the Internet, but it wasn’t that simple. He was always clicking it back on to “take a break.” He was constantly fighting the urge to check his messages and updates.
Thankfully, Stutzman happened to be a programmer studying Information Science. When he went home that night, he decided to create a software program that would solve his problem.
The program was simple. You turned the application on, told it how long you wanted to focus, and it prevented your computer from going online for that amount of time. If you wanted to get back on before your time was up, you had to turn your computer completely off and reboot.
The program was called Freedom and not long after Stutzman created it, the application was everywhere. It was mentioned by NPR, The Economist, The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Time, and nearly every major news outlet you can imagine. More than 500,000 people downloaded it.
It seems that many people were struggling with online procrastination.
Why did Freedom work so well? And what can it teach us about sticking to better habits and mastering our willpower?
The Power of Decision Elimination
Making decisions over and over again will drain your willpower. This is true even if it’s the same, tiny decision—like constantly resisting the urge to check your email. (Another example: continually trying to follow a new, strict diet.)
You might be able to resist for five minutes or an hour or maybe even a week, but eventually, your willpower will begin to fade and you’ll give in. This is known as decision fatigue.
The Freedom app that Stutzman designed is effective not only because it prevents you from reaching the web, but also because it reduces decision fatigue. It eliminates your options and, as a result, doing the right thing becomes much easier. In other words, the application places a constraint on your behavior.