We’ve all been there. Wandering around the kitchen or the supermarket at the end of a busy day, literally feeling too tired to even think. Or have you stood in front of your cupboard, looking at multiple outfits, not sure which one to choose? You may be suffering from decision fatigue.
Many people eliminate the hassle of having to decide what food to prepare for their families by investing in services like meal delivery Melbourne residents have access to. But are there other ways that you can eliminate decision fatigue in your daily life? Let’s start by identifying exactly what decision fatigue is.
What is Decision Fatigue?
Essentially, the term decision fatigue was first identified as a real entity by social psychologist Dr Roy Baumeister. He claimed that the more decisions you make, the harder making your next decision becomes. Humans, he discovered, have a finite amount of daily willpower which wears away as decisions are made throughout the day.
In fact, our decision-making power is almost like a phone battery that starts full in the morning and depletes as the day progresses. By the end of your normal day, you are literally “too tired” to think and select. And no, you don’t need to make major decisions to have your supply depleted. Every time you have to make a decision, your internal charge goes down a notch.
Some of the decisions you make daily that start depleting your energy levels include:
- What clothes am I wearing today?
- Am I having a cappuccino or latte?
- Do I feel like eggs or cereal for breakfast?
- Am I wearing my hair up or down today?
- Should I take the dinner meat out to defrost now or am I getting takeaways after work?
- If I am taking meat out, which meat will I opt for and what will I cook with it?
- Do I have the ingredients to prepare the dish I just thought of?
- Will I need to go to the store after work?
- Are there extra mural activities the kids need to attend after school?
The list goes on. And these are just some of the decisions you need to make before you’re even dressed for work! Then there are decisions in traffic about the shortest route to take and then of course the hundreds of decisions you need to make during the day. It’s no wonder you’re exhausted by the time you arrive back home!
Expert Ways to Deal With Decision Fatigue
Many people thrive on being decision-makers. It makes them feel in total control of their whole life and every aspect of it. However, it can be unhealthy when you’re left feeling unusually exhausted. Here are a few expert ways to deal with decision fatigue:
- Simplify your wardrobe: It’s no secret that successful people often wear a very basic wardrobe to prevent wasting time and energy on making decisions on trivial issues such as picking the right outfit. Mark Zuckerberg is a classic example of this concept. You can choose to own duplicates of the same outfit as he does, or you can create five or six work outfits. Hang everything that goes together as an outfit on one hanger to simplify decisions.
- Streamline meal routines: If you’re the person who prepares meals in your household, you will spend hours every day wasting time and energy deciding what to cook and what ingredients are needed for it. Simplify this whole process by opting for the gluten free meal delivery Melbourne people use to stay healthy. Using a meal delivery system will reduce decision-making, shopping for ingredients and meal prep.
- Reduce your schedule: Overly busy calendars seem to be the order of the day. It may sometimes even seem like a race to add as much to your calendar as possible. This practice is not only unhealthy but also exhausting. Streamline your calendar and space appointments more effectively. This will enable you to give each meeting and appointment your full attention.
- Create an effective morning routine: Avoid all the morning decisions by setting up a firm morning routine. Get up at the same time, choose a standard breakfast and prepare for meetings the day or evening before to ensure that your morning isn’t rushed.
- Prioritise brain health: Overworking and overthinking are two factors that can easily lead to excessive fatigue. Optimising brain health will help to reduce this. This involves getting sufficient sleep, nutritious eating, spending time with family, switching off screens and devices and just generally unwinding and decompressing after every day.
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Final Thoughts
People who suffer from decision fatigue can often find themselves feeling overwhelmed, stressed and overly exhausted. This in turn leads to a sense of dissatisfaction with any choice that you end up making. By eliminating the many decisions you need to make daily, you’ll be able to dedicate your time and energy to aspects that really matter. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy the many benefits that a simpler routine brings!
