Decision Fatigue

After an appointment with a new doctor that lasted a couple of hours, I am in no mood to make decisions. It’s a good thing I prepped dinner before the appointment. “Decision fatigue is “’The idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,’ said Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist. The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.’” — Sarah Berg, M.S., AMA  According to Dr. Maclean in the same article it can leave you feeling tired and/or with brain fog.

So how do we combat it?

 1.    One way to overcome decision fatigue is to “make fewer decisions by streamlining your choices,” said Dr. MacLean. That means “avoid random decision-making by making lists. This way when you are at the grocery store, you don’t have to decide what to buy."  — Sarah Berg, M.S., AMA  

2.   Delegate decision making

3.    Make BIG decisions in the morning before fatigue has a chance to set in

4.   “Our brains are wired to crave patterns and predictability. When we constantly face a barrage of micro-decisions – what to wear, what to eat, how to even start a work task – our willpower suffers. Think of your willpower as a battery. Each choice, no matter how small, drains it a little bit. Routines reduce the number of decisions we need to make consciously, conserving precious mental energy for what truly matters.” — Adebajo

What does all this mean?

You should ask your partner or another family member to select dinner for that day. Or do as I do and make a dinner plan for the whole week. You should lay out your clothes the night before like I do. Habit stack water with activity breaks to get enough water and exercise without much thinking involved. This is something I should do.

The point is that as the day wears on our ability to make decisions is hindered by the fact that we are tired of making decisions. When asked what you want for dinner, an “I’m easy,” response may land you with a Hawaiian pizza or pasta puttanesca (olive sauce). If you’re like me the pizza is fine, but the past isn’t since I don’t like olives.