Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
All of us make thousands of decisions every day, big and small.
What should you eat for breakfast? Whether or not you should exercise—or when. Which project to tackle first at work. More coffee or not.
After a while, it's natural for decision fatigue to set in.
Decision fatigue can happen to anyone – but it's especially troubling when you're trying to change old habits and make new (healthier) choices, but you run out of steam by 10am.
Let's take a closer look at what decision fatigue is, what causes it, and how to get rid of it so you can continue to make good, intentional choices over and over again.
What is decision fatigue, anyway?
Decision fatigue refers to deterioration of the quality of decisions made after a prolonged decision-making period. Decision fatigue can also occur when faced with an overwhelming number of choices.
When working toward wellness goals, mental exhaustion from constant decision-making can hinder your ability to make positive choices, especially in areas like exercise and nutrition. Constantly evaluating your workout schedule, meal choices, and other aspects of your lifestyle and routine can lead to decision fatigue.
Signs of decision fatigue
Decision fatigue can manifest itself in several ways. It can take days, weeks or more.
Here are six common signs you may be experiencing it.
Sign #1: Procrastination and avoiding decisions
One of the main signs of decision fatigue is procrastination and the tendency to avoid making choices. As decision fatigue sets in, you may find it increasingly challenging to initiate or complete decision-making processes, leading to procrastination and lack of action.
Sign #2: Impulsivity
On the other hand, decision fatigue can also manifest as impulsivity. In an effort to speed up decision-making and relieve mental strain, you may resort to impulsive choices, increasing the likelihood of taking less thought-out actions.
Sign # 3: Fatigue
Decision fatigue often leads to mental exhaustion. You may feel tired and mentally drained, which can affect your overall cognitive functioning and energy levels.
Sign #4: Brain fog
A common symptom of decision fatigue is the feeling of “brain fog.” This mental fog can impede clarity of thought, making it difficult for individuals to focus, process information, and make wise choices.
Sign #5: Closure
As decision fatigue accumulates, individuals can easily become overwhelmed by even small choices. Tasks that would normally be manageable can seem daunting, contributing to them increased stress levels.
Sign #6: Nervousness
Decision fatigue can lead to increased irritability and emotional sensitivity. The mental strain of constant decision-making can affect an individual's patience and tolerance, resulting in reactive emotional responses.
What causes decision fatigue?
A combination of factors can contribute to decision fatigue.
Reason #1: You are always making decisions.
When you find yourself constantly making multiple decisions throughout the day, from choosing what to wear to deciding on work-related tasks, you may be prone to decision fatigue.
The cumulative effect of these daily choices can overwhelm your cognitive resources, making later decisions more challenging.
Cause #2: You make too many decisions that affect other people.
Decisions that have a significant impact on others can contribute to decision fatigue.
When your choices have weight and affect those around you, the mental load intensifies. Balancing personal and professional responsibilities that affect others can lead to an increased sense of responsibility and stress associated with decisions.
Cause #3: You make stressful or complex decisions.
Engaging in decision making that is particularly stressful or complex can precipitate the onset of decision fatigue.
Evaluating complex scenarios, especially under pressure, requires more cognitive resources, accelerating mental exhaustion. High-stakes decisions amplify the strain on your mental energy, making subsequent choices more difficult.
Cause #4: You are experiencing a difficult or uncertain life situation.
Life situations characterized by difficulty or uncertainty can exacerbate decision fatigue.
Dealing with extremely stressful challenges, personal or professional, consumes mental bandwidth. Navigating uncertainty increases the stress associated with decisions, intensifying the impact of decision fatigue.
How does decision fatigue relate to your health and well-being?
Decisions about diet, exercise, and overall health management can be overwhelming.
Constantly evaluating food choices, exercise routines, and health-related decisions can challenge cognitive resources, exacerbating decision fatigue.
Further, when you experience decision fatigue, your ability to make thoughtful and proactive health decisions is diminished. Fatigue can lead to impulsive choices, such as impulsive eating or skipping workouts, affecting your progress toward your goals.
How to overcome decision fatigue
Overcoming decision fatigue may not happen right away, but by following these tips, you can significantly reduce its effect on your health and well-being.
All it takes is some careful planning and learning to get away.
Strategy #1: Remove choice from areas of your life where you can.
Deliberately simplifying everyday decisions not only simplifies your life, but also increases your cognitive capacity for more meaningful and impactful choices.
One approach is to set up routines to set certain aspects of your daily life—no decisions needed. This intentional structuring (such as predetermining the days/times you do your workouts) serves to reduce the constant need for decision making in these areas.
Implementing routines also provides a psychological framework that turns repetitive decisions into automatic actions. For example, adopting a regular weekly meal preparation ritual.
Of course, this strategy is especially useful for repetitive activities, where default choices can be applied repeatedly. This act of deliberately removing choices can give you back a sense of control and predictability in your daily life.
Strategy #2: Delegate where you can.
Whether in the workplace or at home, delegating decisions to others not only eases your cognitive (and practical) burden, but also promotes collaboration.
Sharing tasks at work fosters a sense of shared responsibility—and naturally lightens your workload. By including team members in decision-making processes, you not only benefit from different perspectives, but also empower others to contribute their expertise.
Similarly, within the family or household, delegation of responsibilities not only shares the cognitive load but also promotes a more supportive environment. This practice allows each family member to contribute their unique strengths, creating a more balanced distribution of decision-making responsibilities.
Strategy #4: Prioritize relaxing activities.
Relaxation activities are particularly effective in combating the effects of decision fatigue.
Quality sleep renews cognitive functions and replenishes mental energy. When you're well-rested, you're better equipped to handle decision-making challenges.
In addition to sleep, try engaging in mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.
Exercise, too, not only promotes better sleep, but also releases endorphins, which elevate mood and improve cognitive function.
Strategy #5: Manage stress and practice self-care.
Stress and decision fatigue are related, so learning to manage the former will help alleviate the symptoms of the latter.
Many of the relaxation techniques we mentioned earlier are also great stress management tactics.
Try to create an ongoing self-care routine, such as reading, taking a warm bath, or spending quality time with loved ones. These activities can provide a mental break and contribute to a positive mindset, which, in turn, helps prevent and reduce decision fatigue.
Strategy #6: Work with a coach.
By hiring a coach, you effectively delegate certain decisions to an expert.
By using their knowledge, you not only simplify decision-making, but also gain valuable insight and support on your journey to optimal health.
A health coach provides guidance on fitness, nutrition, sleep, stress and recovery, and can design tailored plans to help you improve each of these areas.
Additionally, a health coach helps establish routines, helping to remove unnecessary decisions from your daily life.
Working with a coach provides personalized support, helping you navigate health-related decisions while also increasing accountability and motivation.
We are here to help you achieve your goals
At Precision Nutrition, our coaches are certified experts who can help you make positive decisions to improve your life. Decision fatigue ends with us, as each client receives a personalized, tailored plan designed to work with their personal preferences, lifestyle and goals.
Learn more about how trainers at Precision Nutrition can help you learn to live the healthier, more balanced life you deserve.
