Do you ever feel like your brain is overloaded? Like every decision, from what to eat for breakfast to which email to answer next, is a battle, and you end up overthinking without ending up in a concrete decision.

This could be decision fatigue. This phenomenon describes the mental drain caused by excessive decision-making—that can lead to brain fog.

The number of decisions we have to make day in and day out—whether they are as easy as picking a route home from work or what to make for dinner—can be exhausting and cause many of us to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed.

What is Decision Fatigue

Decision fatigue is the mental drain caused by excessive decision-making. If you compare your willpower to a muscle, the more decisions you make, the weaker this muscle gets, leading to poorer choices later. Decision fatigue affects big and small decisions, from what to wear to what career path to choose.

Our ability to analyze options and make well-reasoned choices weakens in this exhausting state leading to poor decisions. This means that we become more susceptible to impulsive decisions, like grabbing unhealthy snacks from the grocery store or defaulting to familiar choices to avoid deciding properly. These can have consequences for our health, finances, and overall well-being.

Decision fatigue is “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” said Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist. “The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.”

While decision fatigue is not a new phenomenon, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused life to become “more complicated, and we have to make more and more decisions in an ever-increasing complex healthcare environment,” said Dr. MacLean.

What are the Causes

The constant barrage of choices in our daily lives depletes our mental resources. From what to eat for breakfast to responding to emails and choosing a restaurant, every decision uses up a bit of energy. Besides, overwhelming situations with too many options can overload our brains, making it harder to focus and choose effectively.

Decision Fatigue and Burnout

Decision fatigue can be a major contributor to burnout, since it impacts our mental energy causing severe mental exchaustion. When faced with constant decision-making, especially in high-stress environments, individuals can become emotionally exhausted and negative. This can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and difficulty managing challenges.

Decision Fatigue and Paralysis

Decision fatigue, the mental strain from excessive choices, can lead to a more debilitating cousin: decision paralysis. While decision fatigue drains your willpower to make good choices, decision paralysis freezes you altogether. You're hesitant to decide, fearing you'll pick the wrong one and deplete your remaining willpower.

Consequently, you end up overthinking even simple choices. The analysis paralysis kicks in, trapping you in a cycle of weighing every option without ever taking action.

How to Cope With Decision Fatigue

If you are experiencing decision fatigue (take the test below to find out), you are on the right track to dealing with it, keeping your mental energy in higher levels.

Simplify Your Choices

Reduce the number of decisions you face daily. Create routines for meals, outfits, and even errands. This frees up mental space for important choices.

Batch Similar Decisions

Tackle similar decisions together. Schedule email response times or dedicate a block on your calendar to making phone calls. This minimizes the back-and-forth mental strain.

Delegate and Automate

Can someone else make that decision? We bet they can. Delegate tasks or automate repetitive choices, like bill payments or grocery orders, and then you will free your mind of such decisions.

Prioritize away

Not all choices are created equal and sometimes we tend to spend time and energy to not-so-important things. Identify the most important decisions and focus your energy on them. Let smaller choices slide—they probably won’t matter at the end of the day.

Schedule Decision-Making

Don't let decisions linger. Allocate specific times for complex decisions and stick to them. Research shows that “the best time to make decisions is in the morning,” said Dr. MacLean, emphasizing that “the morning is when we make the most accurate and thoughtful decisions, and we tend to be more cautious and meticulous.

“We hit a plateau in the afternoon, and by evening, our decisions may be more impulsive,” she added. “So, definitely don’t make big decisions when you’re tired or hungry.”

Embrace "Good Enough"

Don't get caught in the "perfect choice" trap. Sometimes, a "good enough" decision is all you need. Perfectionism is the enemy of decision-making and rarely does it help.

Do you Suffer from Decision Fatigue?

By identifying the symptoms of decision fatigue, you can take steps to manage your decision-making and combat fatigue.

This is a quick quiz to estimate your potential for decision fatigue. Answer yes or no to each question. The more "yes" you answer to the questions, the higher your chance of experiencing decision fatigue.

• Do you find yourself dreading small choices, like what to wear or eat for breakfast?
• Are you more likely to procrastinate on decisions, even minor ones?
• Do you feel easily overwhelmed by options, especially in stores or on menus?
• Has your ability to focus and concentrate decreased lately?
• Have you noticed yourself making more impulsive decisions lately?
• Do you find yourself feeling irritable or frustrated more easily than usual?
• Are you relying more on routines or defaults to avoid making decisions?
• Do you have trouble saying no to requests, even when you're feeling overloaded?
• Is it harder to complete tasks that require sustained decision-making?
• Do you feel mentally exhausted by the end of the day, even if you haven't done anything physically strenuous?

However, this test is just a starting point. Consider consulting a mental health professional if you're concerned about decision fatigue impacting your daily life and your

To write this article, we consulted:

What doctors wish patients knew about decision fatigue | American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-decision-fatigue?ref=dsebastien.net

What are the consequences of poor ergonomics in the workplace?. https://www.bliink.ai/knowledge/item/view/question/what-are-the-consequences-of-poor-ergonomics-in-the-workplace/