Decision fatigue, a psychological phenomenon, can lead to irrational trade-offs due to an overwhelming number of choices. Explore how this burden of choices impacts our decision-making process, often leading us down a path of less optimal outcomes.

Decision fatigue

It refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions after a long session of decision making

  • Too many decisions end up depleting our willpower, to the point that we end up making increasingly poor choices
  • The term “decision fatigue” was originally coined by social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister
  • Our ability to force ourself to do difficult things draws upon a certain limited resource within us
  • When we’re forced to make tough decisions, it calls upon that same resource
  • Some signs of decision fatigue include impulsivity, procrastination, indecision, and decision avoidance

Join 40,000 mindful makers!

Maker Mind is a weekly newsletter with science-based insights on creativity, mindful productivity, better thinking and lifelong learning.

  • Work smarter and happier by joining a community of fellow curious minds who want to achieve their goals without sacrificing their mental health.

The impact of decision fatigue

Decision fatigue impacts our ability to choose between several options, causes us to make impulse purchases, and can even lead us to avoid decisions entirely

  • Impaired ability to make trade-offs
  • Trade-offs feature several choices that have positive and negative elements. They are a particularly energy-consuming form of decision making.
  • Impulse purchases
  • When shopping, decisions regarding prices and promotions can produce decision fatigue, depleting our willpower to impulse purchases. This is why snacks are usually displayed near the cash register: by the time they get there, many shoppers have decision fatigue and may grab an item they hadn’t initially intended on buying.

How to deal with decision fatigue

Reduce your number of daily decisions

  • Make decisions in advance
  • Change your mindset about willpower
  • You don’t have to make all the decisions in your life on your own
  • Ask a friend or family member to help you consider the trade-offs

Source