Is Willpower a Limited Resource? What "Ego Depletion" Research Actually Shows
The 1998 study said willpower is a limited resource. A 23-lab replication with 2,141 people found no effect. Here's the real, current science.
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Habit formation, behavioral science, and tips from TrakBit
How Long Does It Really Take to Build an Exercise Habit? What Gym Research Shows
A real study of new gym members found a specific frequency-and-duration threshold for exercise habits — here's what the research actually found.
Read more →The Money Habits Worth Tracking (Budgeting Apps Won't Do This Part For You)
Budgeting apps show you what already happened. Here's what research on financial self-monitoring says is worth tracking as a daily habit instead.
Read more →Mental Health Habits Worth Tracking (Not Just "How Do You Feel Today")
A one-tap mood score isn't enough. Research on self-monitoring for mental health points to a small set of habits worth logging alongside it.
Read more →Productivity Habits Worth Tracking (Hint: Not Your Total Hours Worked)
Tracking hours worked tells you almost nothing. Research on interruptions and self-monitoring points to smaller habits worth logging instead.
Read more →Which Habits Actually Belong in a Morning Routine? What the Research Says
Most morning routine advice is a listicle, not research. Here's what a real RCT on cue-based habit formation says about which habits belong there.
Read more →Sleep Hygiene Habits Worth Tracking (Not Your Sleep Stages — Your Behavior)
Sleep trackers measure your sleep stages. They don't track the daytime habits that actually cause bad sleep. Here's what to log instead.
Read more →Why Accountability Partners Work: The Study Nobody Cites Correctly
"Get an accountability partner" is common advice. Here's the real 2007 study behind it, and the one specific mechanism that actually moved the needle.
Read more →Environment Design for Habits: What Changes When You Change the Cues Around You
Willpower research keeps pointing to context, not motivation. Here's what real studies found about environment and habit — and how to use it.
Read more →What Are Keystone Habits? The One Habit That Can Change the Others
The claim that one habit can trigger a cascade of others is popular. Here's what the actual research behind "keystone habits" supports.
Read more →Habits vs. Goals: Why the Habit — Not the Goal — Decides What You Actually Do
A goal is something you want. A habit is something a context triggers automatically. Here's what the research says about why one sticks and the other doesn't.
Read more →Identity-Based Habits: Why "Become the Type of Person" Beats Goal-Setting
"Become the type of person" isn't just a slogan. Here's the actual research on self-identity, habit strength, and why it changes how setbacks feel.
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