Have you ever felt like it was difficult to make a decision about something?

I work as a coach, marketing consultant and designer and the majority of what I do is make decisions or solve problems and I know by the end of the day or week there are times I don’t want to make another decision about anything, even to the point about deciding what I want to do about dinner.

Every decision, whether it’s what to make for dinner tonight, what snacks to buy, what brand of cereal to get, and so on, takes energy and focus, and as you make more and more decisions, you start to feel mentally tired. This is decision fatigue.

I have these conversations with people, often. Even at the beginning of this year I’m noticing that people are struggling with making the smallest of decisions. There’s a lot going on with the world and in people’s lives. No wonder there’s a bit of decision fatigue creeping in.

How Does Decision Fatigue happen?

Decision fatigue is a phenomenon that occurs when people have a limited ability to make decisions and this ability becomes depleted as more decisions are made. It’s a vicious cycle.

This can lead to poor quality decisions or a lack of motivation to make decisions at all and the more decisions you have to make, the harder it becomes to make good choices. It leads to feelings of overwhelm and a lack of motivation, or even making choices you later regret.

I see it in people who have a high demand for decision making, like executives, managers, business owners, or even everyday people who have to make multiple decisions in a day.

4 things that contribute to Decision Fatigue

• Lack of sleep
• Low blood sugar – bad nutrition
• High levels of stress
• Lack of exercise

Managing Decision Fatigue

The good news is that there are things you can do to manage decision fatigue**:**

1. Prioritize decisions: Focus on the choices that are most important and put less effort into the ones that don’t really matter.
2. Take breaks: Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help to recharge the mind and reduce decision fatigue.
3. Simplify: Make decisions simpler by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps.
4. Automate: Automating routine choices, like what to wear or what to eat for breakfast, can also save you mental energy for more important decisions.
5. Sleep well: Getting enough sleep is important for cognitive function, and can help to reduce decision fatigue.
6. Eat well: Eating a healthy diet can help to maintain blood sugar levels, which can impact decision-making ability.
7. Delegate: Delegate some of your decision-making responsibilities to others, if possible.
8. Take time to reflect: Reflect on past decisions and learn from them, so you can make better decisions in the future.
9. Exercise: during exercise, the brain releases dopamine, which helps to improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and fatigue which leads to better decision making.

Before I partnered with Flourishing Certified Coaching I was at a point where I found it difficult to know what to do next in my life and career. It was difficult for me to decide on anything. I was certainly at a cross-road, but making the decision to join this tribe has enabled me to sift through my mental capacity on a level that has brought clarity and focus into my life like never before.

I now have the confidence to make the decision I need to make and take risks that are propelling me forward into my next season.