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Strategies for combating decision fatigue, maximizing daily productivity by Aisha Musa Auyo
Oxford Dictionary defines decision fatigue as a difficulty in making a good decision experienced as a result of the number of decisions one needs to make. In psychology, decision fatigue is defined as mental and emotional exhaustion due to excessive or relentless decision making.
According to Bob Pozen, a professor at MIT and author of Extreme Productivity, we make between 10,000 and 40,000 decisions per day, ranging from insignificant to critical. The figure looks exaggerated, right? I didn’t believe him at first until I started to count the decisions I had made from the moment I woke up, from what to make for breakfast, to which kid to bath first, to which clothes to wear, which shoe or bag, what time to go out, what article to write, to eat before leaving or not, what type of tea to make? To call my siblings after work or before work, to read either a book or a journal, to address a junior colleague or to let it pass, to watch a movie or sleep, if I chose to watch a movie, then which one? the decisions are endless.
The more energy we spend on mundane tasks, the less we have for the important ones.
Roy F. Baumeister, a social psychologist, came up with this theory, saying that our mental energy is diminishing as we make more decisions. The brain’s ability to make decisions wears out over time, as a muscle that is used too much.
According to a 2016 study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, people found it difficult to make intelligent decisions even after spending hours deliberating. Brain scans revealed a decline in mental energy in the lateral prefrontal cortex, an area crucial for decision-making.
READ ALSO: Tricks to avoid sport-related anxiety or cardiac attacks, by Aisha Musa Auyo
Everyone experiences decision fatigue from time to time. And that’s OK. While we can’t always control the situations that cause our decision fatigue, we can build protective measures into our daily lives to make that fatigue less likely and more manageable.
To combat decision fatigue, experts suggest simplifying daily choices as much as possible and learning to manage our mental energy more efficiently. But I’ve summarized a few points that will help us in our day-to-day activities.
Experts advise making as few decisions as feasible on a daily basis and developing more effective mental energy management techniques to fight decision fatigue. However, I’ve outlined few things that will support us in our daily tasks.
1. Take the option out of certain aspects of your life. Prominent decision-makers such as Steve Jobs and Barack Obama have openly discussed how they wear nearly identical outfits every day. Their justification is that there is one less decision to make when it comes to attire. Certain things can be automated, such as your wardrobe choices, the podcast you listen to while commuting, or the type of bread you purchase from the shop. Allow yourself to not be the one who demands perfection.
2. Assign (if you can). You will always have to make some selections. But occasionally, it’s acceptable to delegate tasks to others. They might make a mistake, but so will you! Try to delegate some of the decision-making to your spouse, siblings, or subordinates. They’ll learn how to meet your expectations with time.
3. Make time for self-care. Caring about your own mental health and well-being isn’t selfish. You can’t do what it takes to help others if you aren’t caring for yourself. Having a self-care routine in place can prevent decision fatigue — and make handling it easier if it does happen.
4. Prioritise your sleep. What do people say when presented with difficult decisions? “I’ll sleep on it.” There is a reason for that. Research suggests that humans spend more time deliberating – and making better decisions — early in the day. It also demonstrates that sleep deprivation impairs not just impulse control and emotional management skills, but also morality. If you’re going through a particularly decision-heavy period in your life, making an additional effort to get a decent night’s sleep may help you avoid decision fatigue.
5. Schedule downtime into your day. Life can get so hectic that we forget to give our brains a chance to disconnect for a bit. Scheduling downtime, whether it’s watching a series on your phone during your lunch break, listening to Quranic recitation, perusing social media clips, or phoning a buddy who makes you laugh, can help keep your mind charged and ready to make difficult decisions.
6. Exercise. You’ve probably heard that exercise is good for your brain, especially as you get older. But did you know that it can also help you make better decisions? A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise followed by a 3-minute walking break every 30 minutes When combined, they were found to improve executive function.
If that sounds like a lot, don’t worry: Any exercise is better than no exercise, and long walks can do wonders for your overall mental health.
In sum, decision fatigue is a common issue that affects our decision-making abilities. To manage it, we can simplify routines, delegate tasks, prioritize self-care, schedule downtime, and incorporate exercise. These strategies preserve cognitive resources, enhance well-being, and enable more thoughtful decisions.
Aisha Musa Auyo is a Doctorate researcher in Educational Psychology, a wife, a mother of three, a Home Maker, a chef, and a parenting/ relationship coach. She can be reached via aishamuauyo@live.co.uk.
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