It is said that we make on average 35,000 decisions every single day. Of course not all of them are conscious decisions. It’s no wonder that by the end of the day we can experience what’s called decision fatigue. Decision fatigue not only kills motivation, but it can lead to avoiding decision making altogether, or an increase in impulsive behaviour. So what do we do about it? Before we launch into that, let’s explore a little more about how it comes about and how it impacts our behaviours.

Decision Fatigue

Decision fatigue is when the quality of our decisions reduces after a period of time of having to make many decisions over that period of time. As we face the day there are several decisions we need to make from the minute we wake. A lot of those decision will be low risk (e.g., “what should I wear today?”, “what word should I use in this next sentence?”), some of them will be high risk decisions (e.g., “is today the day I quit my job?”), and some decisions will be quite complex, such as those who have to make decisions for others that may impact them quite significantly (e.g., parents making decisions for their children, doctors making decisions for patients, teachers making decisions for their students, a manager making a decision for his team etc). The more choices we have to make and the more responsibility we carry, the more strain and stress we feel from having to make those decisions. If we become overstressed, we can either start to make impulsive decisions, or we can shut down altogether. This then leads to feeling brain fog, risky decision making, or avoiding the responsibility of making decisions entirely.

How to Recognise Decision Fatigue

There are several signs to recognise that you’re experiencing decision fatigue. The first of these signs is procrastination. If you find yourself procrastinating then you’re likely feeling fatigued with having to make decisions. The more responsibility you carry the harder it becomes to manage this. Impulsivity is the next sign. When we’re worn down from making decisions all day we’re more likely to be impulsive and go with what we know is our normal routine and can lead to things like impulsive online shopping, binge eating, buying more unhealthy foods in the supermarket than needed, placing that bet, driving a bit faster on the way home because you’re tired and you just want to get home, etc. Avoidance is the third indicator of decision fatigue. When we start to avoid making decision it’s because we’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed and are finding it hard to think straight (e.g., “I can’t deal with this right now”). The last indicator is indecision. Indecision, is when we freeze, and is likely occurring not only because of stress but because of anxiety. Feeling doubtful and indecisive can leave us feeling stuck and in essence nothing gets done or you default to someone else and become passive instead of active in your every day behaviours.

How to Cope with decision Fatigue

The best way to cope with decision fatigue is to simplify life and the daily choices you have to make. This doesn’t mean that life has to get boring though. Here are some suggestions that you may find helpful.

Make important decisions first. Making these decisions earlier in the day ensures that you’re fresh and are not being impulsive or avoidant.
Remove distractions. The less competing information your brain has to deal with the better.
Plan your meals. This ensures that you’re not rushing at the supermarket after work or a busy day with your family to make impulsive decisions with food.
Simplify your wardrobe. Several people have a work wardrobe that makes life less stressful and that much easier in the morning, ensuring that you start the day on the right foot.
Take breaks that are physical such as getting up to get a drink of water or having a stretch. When we’re engaged in a thinking task, then taking a break to do something gentle and physical is truly a break from thinking as opposed to doing something like listening to music or watching a show or reading a news article, as it’s another thing your brain has to think about.
Allow others to help. Sometimes we just need a sounding board and we just need to delegate.

Making decisions on a daily basis is not easy, especially when we’re making on average 35,000 decisions every day. If you feel like you’re facing decision fatigue because of ongoing responsibilities, anxiety, stress, and/or depression, then we’re here to support you and be a sounding board. To arrange an appointment with our team give us a call on (03) 9882-8874.

This blog was written and prepared by Dr Celin Gelgec - Clinical Psychologist and Director here at MWG.