Beat Decision Fatigue

Have you ever heard of “decision fatigue”? Decision fatigue causes burnout brought on by having to make too many decisions. Studies have shown that when you’re constantly having to make decisions, you tend to wear out and by the end of the day make worse decisions than you would have at the beginning of your day.

Interestingly, former President Obama only wore grey or black suits throughout his term so that his decisions could be made on more pressing matters. By limiting the number of less important decisions he had to make in a day, he was able to focus on areas that mattered most.

Here are some quick tips on how to minimize decision fatigue:

Simplify the choices you need to make.
You don’t have to go to the extreme that Obana did and discontinue your unique style; but, simplifying your choices may include: study in the same place, create a routine and keep to it, etc.

Set High-priority items earlier in the day. Some top task-crushers advise making a list the night before of only 5 thing to do for the following day. In the morning, tackle the toughest projects first when you’re at your strongest mentally.

Focus on Momentum.

Lump small tasks together to create momentum. When our brain knows what’s coming next, we are able to keep going without having to force ourselves to do a task. The Zeigarnki Effect says that our brains become obsessed with finishing a task.

Nap!
Naps help our brain flush out all the ‘gunk’ that’s building up and will help you feel refreshed for making new decisions. If time allows for it, take a 20-minute, afternoon power nap to get the juices flowing again!