Willpower at Home: Strengthening Self-Control as a Couple. A Conversation with Dr. Kentaro Fujita

Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Dr. Kentaro Fujita, a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Decision Sciences Collaborative at The Ohio State University. He received his Bachelors in Psychology at Harvard College, and his Masters and PhD in Psychology at New York University. He is an expert in motivation, goals, behavior change, and decision-making. Much of his award-winning research explores self-control: that is, who, when, and why do some succeed and others fail at resisting immediate temptations that undermine more distant goals?

We’ll explore how self-control shapes the way couples handle money, divide household responsibilities, and support each other through everyday challenges. Dr. Fujita will share research-backed strategies to strengthen willpower, reduce temptations, and stay focused on the big picture—both individually and as a team. Enjoy the show.

Show Notes

Introduction
00:00 Introduction
03:06 You’ve studied self-control extensively. How do you define it, and why is it such an important factor in our daily lives, particularly for couples managing money and household responsibilities?
6:40 The Marshmallow Study
13:05 Many of us think of willpower as simply “trying harder.” From a scientific perspective, what actually fuels or drains our self-control?
17:06 Can we discuss self control hacks with important context?
27:31 The concept of ego depletion suggests self-control is a limited resource. How does this play out in dual-career couples who feel constantly stretched thin by work and home obligations?
31:48 What does your environment look like when you talk about money with your spouse?
35:02 Where can our listeners learn more about you?
35:44: If you could give dual-career couples one or two evidence-based practices to consistently improve their self-control—both individually and as a team—what would they be?

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