Decision fatigue occurs when the mental energy required to make numerous decisions throughout the day leaves a person feeling drained and exhausted. The brain’s neurons require a high level of oxygen and blood glucose to function, and when they are busy, they can become fatigued just like muscles. As a result, the quality of decisions tends to decline over time, leading to increased errors and decreased effectiveness and efficiency. Decision fatigue can occur during the use of the Automatic and the Deliberate system. Automatic decisions are part of our routines and habits. Even though we may consider their impact small, everyday decisions like what to eat for lunch are numerous. As a result of the hundreds to sometimes a thousand small decisions per day, the areas of the subcortex can become exhausted.
When the deliberate system is engaged for larger, more complex decisions related to work or family, the demand for cognitive resources needed to make decisions can overwhelm the brain. Without a framework, the brain can become distracted and disoriented, resulting in a fallout from the Deliberate system into the Automatic system. This leads to poor judgment, impulsive choices, or avoidance of decisions altogether.
In daily life, decision fatigue might manifest as someone struggling to choose between dinner options after a long workday or feeling indecisive about plans for the weekend. Decision fatigue can reduce productivity at work, leading people to procrastinate or take shortcuts on important projects. Over time, the accumulation of big and small decisions can wear down a person’s mental resources, making long-term planning and important life choices, such as career shifts or financial planning, even more difficult to navigate effectively.
Task induction-based decision-making tools can combat decision fatigue by reducing the cognitive load associated with decision-making. These tools help the brain by organizing decisions into more manageable steps and stimulating areas responsible for prioritization and focus. By automating or simplifying smaller decisions and providing a clear process for bigger ones, these tools allow users to preserve their mental energy for the choices that matter most. This structured approach can help individuals avoid burnout, stay sharp, and consistently make faster, more accurate, and more impactful regardless of the situation.
If you would like to know more about making better decisions and avoiding decision fatigue, please consider the following offerings:
Optimal Decision-Making Worksheet
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