The question of decision fatigue

 

A few years ago, a friend of mine went to buy a deodorant. I was with him, but I stayed at the entrance of the supermarket with the person who was hosting us. After twenty minutes, she started to get worried - how long could it take to choose one deodorant? I went to check, and there he was, staring at a small shelf with only a handful of options… Twenty minutes, and still no decision.

Now imagine someone like him, but at the end of a long, exhausting day. They still need to call three people, buy a gift, fill out a work form and complete travel paperwork. Each small choice adds up until the brain feels like it’s running on fumes.

An official report drew my attention: When Good People Make Bad Decisions. Of course, anyone can make a mistake because of ignorance, poor planning or pressure, but sometimes, even very good and competent people make bad decisions due to another factor: decision fatigue.

People who are smart, trained, capable and kind mess up because of being worn out from choosing and deciding, again and again.

This is what psychologists call decision fatigue. As psychotherapist Natacha Duke explains, it isn’t a medical condition but a very real phenomenon: the more decisions you make throughout the day, the more mentally, emotionally and physically drained you become. Decisions are made by the intellect or buddhi (Sanskrit), which is your executive functioning - the part of you that decides, plans and prioritizes. It starts to falter and when that slips, so does a good decision.

That’s why firefighters, pilots and doctors often rely on protocols and checklists, which reduce unnecessary decisions and the energy is saved to be used for the critical ones. Maybe you can create protocols for your own life, suited to your needs, or simply start building habits, simplifying routines and taking “decision breaks” (a period of reflection, disconnecting from demanding circumstances, meditation). It will make a big difference.

And maybe, there’s also a more spiritual side to this. Not every decision has to be wrestled with logic. Some choices get lighter when we pause, breathe, meditate and connect with a deeper sense of clarity. Better decisions come from a calmer place.

So, the next time you’re standing in front of a shelf - whether of deodorants or crucial life choices - remember: sometimes the smartest move is to step back, clear your mind and only then, make a good decision.

Do you have problems to make decisions?

What is the problem with making decisions?

First, why is it important to make good decisions?

By looking at a macro view, things are not OK… There are crisis everywhere and in every way possible, which probably means, in a micro perspective, that we are not making the best decisions we could.

If we extrapolate a bit: a community, society or country is the result of all our lives, so the result of all our decisions together.

So, if you and I start to make decisions that are more effective, that will have an impact in the whole…

Second, how to make better decisions then? These three points may help you:

1. Understand this: a decision cannot be unmade. Really. Even though you make a decision and change your mind, get a divorce or leave your job, that decision has affected you anyway. Any decision has weight in our lives, whether we recognize it or not, so to make an effective decision is crucial. Life is the result of all our decisions…
2. Before acting on a decision, reflect. All decisions must be made after a process of discernment. Take in account logic and intuition, your pragmatism and values; the more balanced is the discernment, the better will be the actions coming from it.
3. Be aware of decision fatigue. Before making a decision and acting on it, take a short break, meditate or just relax. This tiredness is not only in relation to physical aspects, but because decisions are something you cannot undo, there is always a subtle fear or anxiety. If you are tired at the time of making a decision, that won’t be so effective.