We claim we like the freedom of choice and the abundance of things and experiences to choose from, yet choice causes stress. If there are choices, a decision must be made, and even when not making a choice in the moment, a decision is made. This is a scenario we face countless times each day. And let’s be real. Each decision takes time and energy, even when we are not conscious of the decision making running unrecognized as we move about the day. What to wear, what to eat, and where to turn to get to where we are going. What to say to not offend, what to say to engage, or do we even say anything? What time to get up, what time to eat, what needs to get done today to prepare for tomorrow? Just choosing which news to digest for the day can lead to deciding if what is being shared is real or truthful or in alignment with our values, or a threat, and if action needs to be taken, what that action might look like… the list goes on. One study estimates that a single person makes an average of 35,000 decisions per day in our information-overload world. That is over 1400 decisions each hour in a 24 hour period. It is no wonder decision fatigue is real.
Decision fatigue happens when we experience cognitive overload and our resources are spent. It can present as procrastination and/or maintaining the status quo, analysis paralysis, constantly waiting for additional information, snap decisions, opting immediately for the easiest choice regardless of what is best, or a general sense of fatigue and an inability to even decide what to eat or drink. The good news is, here some ways to preserve mental energy and structure your life to support optimal decision making.
Reducing unnecessary decisions.
~This might mean creating routines for daily and/or weekly simple tasks, ie meal planning. Mondays are pasta nights, Tuesdays are taco nights, Wednesdays are fish, etc.
~Simplifying choices. If you’re painting your house and want to go with a new color, limit yourself to only three color and shade choices; don’t explore all the paint samples available.
~Automate when possible. Autopay bills, subscriptions, or have a basic grocery list that you can check off what you need prior to shopping or as your supplies dwindle.
~Clarifying priorities and establishing parameters around routine requests allows for quick decision making, lessening the cognitive load.
Prioritize big decisions when your energy is at its peak.
~Mental energy is highest in the morning.
~Mental energy is restored with food (preferably low-glycemic-index medium sized meals) and rest or break from cognitive load.
Create a ‘decision budget’.
~Think of your energy as a rechargeable battery. Making several small, trivial choices uses energy that could be used for larger decisions. Some days the ‘trivial’ choices are priority, and other days it might be best to save that energy for larger decisions.
~Follow Spoon Theory to plan your day. Say you start with 10 spoons of energy, and each decision takes 1-3 spoons, depending on the cognitive load of each decision. Budget your decision making around these spoons.
~Batch decisions by category. For example, set aside a block of time to handle email instead of checking throughout the day.
Take strategic breaks to reset your mental energy.
~Take 5-10 minute self-care breaks for every 90 minutes of work or focus. Effective break activities include a short walk or dance breaks, mindfulness meditations, listening to music, reading for pleasure (preferably not on a screen), or breathing exercises.
~Use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking 20 or more feet away. This helps prevent digital eye strain from screen use.
Prioritizing Self-Care.
~This includes sleep, healthy eating habits, staying hydrated, and exercising regularly.
~Always be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace and remember, technological advances have outpaced biological evolution. Generally, we are all (even yourself) doing the best we can, in any given moment, with the resources we have.
https://www.nchpad.org/resources/spoon-theory-a-new-way-to-think-about-your-daily-energy/
https://extension.ucr.edu/features/overcomingdecisionfatigue
