Have you ever said to your kids, “Just do whatever you want,” because you have so much going on? Maybe you’re cooking dinner while you’re on the phone about a problem at work, and your kid runs in asking you for something. You have so much going on in the moment, it makes sense when your response is, “I don’t have the bandwidth to deal with this right now. Just do whatever you want.”
Your brain is doing the same thing to you! When you’re distracted, multitasking, and overwhelmed, your brain no longer has the bandwidth to deal with the decisions that pop up. You see a cupcake on the counter and your brain goes, “Just do whatever you want.”
There’s a relationship between Working Memory and Impulse Control
Why is that? Psychologists have done a lot of research on impulse control and they’ve found that it’s tied to working memory. Working memory is like the tabs on your computer. Those open tabs each represent something you’re focused on right now. And even though your brain can do a lot of things, it can only have so many tabs open at once before it takes the easiest way out. Before it goes with its default.
So if your brain doesn't seem to remember your new healthy lifestyle goals, it might be because there’s too much taking up all of your working memory and your impulse control is suffering.
The other contributor is that, while it’s making all these decisions, your brain is running on glucose. It’s burning fuel. When you’re doing everything and your brain is overloaded, it says, “We need more fuel!” So not only does your brain not have the capacity to make a logical, healthy decision, it also doesn’t understand that you don’t need that cupcake on the counter to survive.
Give your brain the opportunity to make healthy choices!
Think about the last time you slipped up on your health goals. I don’t want you to feel guilty for eating that cupcake, or skipping the gym, or pouring an extra glass of wine. Because what else was going on? I'd bet money that you were distracted by the millions of other things you have going on. Your working memory is maxed out! So your impulse control isn’t at full capacity.
I don’t want you to feel guilty. But I do want you to take ownership of the fact that you’re not giving your brain the opportunity to do what you’ve asked it to do… which is to make healthy decisions. If you want your brain to make healthy, intentional choices, you have to close some tabs.
- That could mean coordinating a carpool so that you have a few days a week where you don’t have to pick up your kids from school before you head to the gym.
- Or setting up a grocery delivery so that you have extra time and less snack temptation.
- It might mean hiring a VA to streamline your schedule and take over some of your tasks.
- And it definitely means saying no every once in a while.
And I can help you close two tabs right now! I created a
Meal Planning Cheat Sheet and you can grab it right now. It helps you figure out exactly what you’re going to eat every day of the week and then helps you make a grocery list. You’ll know what to eat and what to buy and you won’t have to rely on your brain making the decision while you’re busy and hungry. Try it out and let me know how it goes!
