Do you ever feel exhausted by the end of the day, like you can’t make another decision? That feeling is decision fatigue, and it can hold you back from reaching your goals. But don’t worry, let us explore how to spot and defeat decision fatigue.
Defeating decision fatigue has many benefits:
- increased productivity
- improved mental clarity
- better decision-making
- feeling more energised
Unfortunately, many people struggle with decision fatigue and aren’t even aware of it. They end up making poor choices, feeling overwhelmed, and don’t make progress towards their goals.
In this volume of Decide, I’ll show you how to identify decision fatigue and provide practical strategies to overcome it.
By the end, you’ll have the tools you need to have more energy and mental capacity at the end of the day. This will help you make smarter decisions and achieve your goals.
Let’s dive in.
Why do we experience decision fatigue?
Making decisions requires mental energy and our brains have a limited capacity for exerting mental effort.
As we make more and more decisions throughout the day, we gradually deplete our mental energy reserves. This makes it difficult to make subsequent decisions.
Research has shown that the quality of decisions can also deteriorate as people become fatigued. (1)
As we become more mentally depleted, we tend to rely on shortcuts in decision-making. This can lead to poor choices.
Living in the modern world presents us with an overwhelming number of choices. This leads to almost countless decisions being made every day.
The abundance of options can make it challenging to weigh the pros and cons of each decision. This leads to decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue can also arise from decision-making that involves significant risk or consequence. Like decisions around financial investments or medical treatments.
In these situations, when the stakes are high, the pressure to make the “right” decision can be overwhelming. Ultimately, leading to mental exhaustion and decision fatigue.
“The link between willpower and decision making works both ways: Decision making depletes your willpower, and once your willpower is depleted, you’re less able to make decisions. If your work requires you to make hard decisions all day long, at some point you’re going to be depleted and start looking for ways to conserve energy. You’ll look for excuses to avoid or postpone decisions. You’ll look for the easiest and safest option, which often is to stick with the status quo: Leave the prisoner in prison.”
Roy F. Baumeister
Spot the Signs
Before you can defeat something you need to know you’re experiencing it.
How many of these do you experience at the end of the day regularly? (2)
- Procrastination: “Mindlessly scrolling Twitter/Instagram/TikTok.”
- Impulsivity: “Let me do this random task now.”
- Avoidance: “Not today, I don’t have the energy.”
- Indecision: “I don’t know what option to choose.”
Now that you know what to look out for, be aware of yourself at the end of your day.
I usually struggle with these points above between 3:00 and 6:00 PM, what about you?
Defeat Decision Fatigue
1. Limit your decisions
One way to combat decision fatigue is to limit the number of decisions you have to make.
Try meal prepping for the week so you don’t have to decide what to eat every day.
Or, like Steve Jobs, Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg, wear the same type of clothing during the week so you don’t have to make that decision in the morning.
I personally have a pile of black shirts and a pair of jeans that I go through during the week. After my morning shower, I don’t have to decide what to wear.
By limiting the number of decisions you have to make, especially inconsequential ones, you’ll free up mental energy for more important decisions.
2. Prioritise your decisions
Another way to combat decision fatigue is to prioritise your decisions.
Focus on the decisions that are most important and make them earlier in the day when your brain is fresh.
You can do this by using The Eisenhower Decision Matrix.
It is a simple but powerful tool, that can help you prioritise and make better decisions by categorising them based on their urgency and importance.
It was popularised by former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known for his ability to manage his time and make effective decisions.
The matrix consists of four quadrants, each representing a different level of urgency and importance:
- Urgent and important – Do now: These are tasks that require immediate attention and have a significant impact on your goals or well-being. They should be prioritised and completed as soon as possible.
- Important but not urgent – Schedule: These are tasks that contribute to your long-term goals but don’t require immediate attention. They should be scheduled and planned for, but not at the expense of urgent tasks.
- Urgent but not important – Delegate: These are tasks that require immediate attention but don’t contribute significantly to your goals or well-being. They should be delegated or minimised as much as possible.
- Not urgent and not important – Don’t do: These are tasks that have little or no value and can be eliminated or postponed indefinitely.
To use The Eisenhower Decision Matrix, you should list all your decisions and categorise them into the appropriate quadrant.
Once you have done this, you can prioritise your decisions by tackling the most urgent and important ones first, then moving on to the important but not urgent tasks.
Save the less important decisions for later in the day when your brain is more fatigued.
This way, you’ll ensure that the most important decisions get the attention they deserve.
By doing so, you can better manage your time, reduce stress, and achieve your goals more effectively.
“What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
3. Take breaks
It’s important to take breaks throughout the day to give your brain a rest.
Whether it’s going for a walk, doing some yoga, or just taking a few deep breaths, taking breaks can help refresh your mind and give you a new perspective.
Plus, it’s a great way to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
Every day I savour and enjoy a mid-morning coffee break. I take Barbara, my Cavapoochon, for a lunchtime stroll (I can’t say “walk” as she gets too excited). In the afternoon I enjoy tea and a banana break.
Make time to take breaks throughout your day.
4. Automate decisions
Another way to combat decision fatigue is to automate decisions whenever possible.
Set up direct debit payments so you don’t have to remember to pay certain bills each month. Decide all of your meals for the week during the weekend so that you don’t have to think about what to make and eat at the end of a long day.
By automating decisions, you’ll free up mental energy for more important things.
5. Get enough rest
Lastly, make sure you’re getting enough rest.
Decision fatigue is often exacerbated by a lack of sleep and poor sleep quality.
Make sure you’re getting enough rest each night and consider adopting a relaxing bedtime routine to help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
- Spot the Signs
- Defeat Decision Fatigue
- Limit your decisions
- Prioritise your decisions
- Take breaks
- Automate decisions
- Get enough rest
In conclusion, decision fatigue is a real thing that affects us all at some point.
But by limiting our decisions, prioritising our decisions, taking breaks, automating decisions, and getting enough rest, we can combat decision fatigue and make better decisions throughout the day.
So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by life and the decisions that you need to make, give these tips a try and see how they work for you.
Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, and I’ll see you next week.
Ty
P.S. Say hey on Twitter and if you have a moment I would love your feedback on this volume, you can leave a comment here.
