Willpower: is it finite? Why is so hard to be determined and have willpower?

Did you ever have that feeling when you have to resist a temptation and later you can't resist anything else? You wanna loose 10 kg this week, start a rigid diet, but then end up losing control over your house organization, your chores at work/university?

Interestingly, scientific researches are suggesting that our willpower is a limited resource, like food, money and so on.

Sure, there are critics to the matter, but an interesting article discuss about this new finding and how it relates even to the fact that poorer people don't choose to be poor: the more they have to resist temptation of buying things due to a restricted budget, the harder is to keep self-control to study long hours, have creativity, so on, and to develop yourself. The fact of being under big restrictions and having to exert strong self control in one are might take a huge toll in our psyches.

So, If you feel depleted on your willpower to achieve your goals, one line of research "has found reason to think that drained willpower can be restored in the short term—by taking a walk in nature or watching a humorous video, for instance"— studies on how to make your total willpower bigger in the long term are not yet clear. 

For improving studying or working, a small break to walk around some green area, having a tea or watching an youtube video on something funny might help you return to those important tasks that wait your diligence to build up for them to be finished. Some psychologists suggest for each hour of study, 10 minutes of break are recommended for the best results. 

So don't put too much on yourself or feel guilty if you take a small break. The important thing in life is living a fruitful happy existence. God loves you and all of us, and so we should love and care for our own well-being (and when we are well, we can also take better care of our loved ones). 

Reference: http://www.tnr.com/article/environment-energy/89377/poverty-escape-psychology-self-control?page=0,1

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45195530/ns/today-today_health/t/self-control-tips-pump-your-willpower/