Overcoming Decision Fatigue: Simplify Your Life with Fewer Choices

Decisions, decisions. Sometimes it feels as though our entire life is one decision after another. From the minute we wake up until the moment we crawl back into bed, we are faced with a multitude of choices and that’s exhausting! But what if we could overcome decision fatigue by simplifying our lives? By giving ourselves fewer choices it is possible to overcome the mental exhaustion that results from making too many decisions.

This post may contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more here.

Decision Fatigue:
Simplify Your Life With Fewer Choices

The American Medical Association defines decision fatigue as “a state of mental overload that can impede a person’s ability to continue making decisions”. According to Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist, 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. The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.”

Many years ago I read Bill Bryson’s book, “I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away“, a humorous memoir of his return to America after a couple of decades of living in England. Despite the fact I read this back in the mid-1990s I still remember the part where he goes to a supermarket and is overwhelmed by the sheer number of cereal options. This was the first time I recall ever hearing anyone talk about the downside of too many choices.

I became an adult in the 1980s, a decade of excess and conspicuous consumption. It seemed that suddenly we were bombarded with more choices accompanied by constant pressure to buy. What was previously seen as plenty was no longer enough. In fact, the concept of “enough” was decidedly out of vogue.

The economy has been through several downturns since the 80s but our daily choices continue to grow. Now, of course choice can be a great thing when it comes to personal freedom. And expanding options in food, clothing, entertainment, household goods and technology are often exciting. But do we really need over 300 types of cereal in the grocery store?

Have you heard of “the paradox of choice”? When faced with an abundance of options it requires more effort to make a choice AND we are more likely to feel unsatisfied with that choice.

The Paradox of Choice

My husband and I have very different decision making styles when it comes to purchases. It’s a family joke. When the kids were young and I’d take them shopping for school clothes, it would take all day. I’d compare things in various stores throughout the mall until I was certain we were getting just the right clothing at the best prices. And then one year David took them. I can’t remember why. It wasn’t something he had ever done before. But they were back home with their clothes in short order. As soon as one of the kids saw something they liked he bought it. No price comparisons. No suggestions that they look around a bit. And it worked okay as I recall.

To this day, if I’m in the market for an item I’ll search various options online, read reviews, put it in my cart, wait a few days, possibly change my mind a couple of times and then finally make the purchase. And I still wonder if I made the right choice.

I much prefer to shop in a small grocery store with a relatively limited selection. When I find a product I like I stick with it. That’s why I hate it when a beloved product is discontinued. I’m still trying to find a lipstick I like as well as the one I wore for several years. And if the nightgowns I’ve worn for over 25 years are ever discontinued I’ll probably have a small breakdown.

I realize my reactions to the need to make excessive decisions may be more pronounced than the average, but everyone is affected to some degree.

Overcoming Decision Fatigue: Simplify Your Life with Fewer Choices

How many decisions does the average person make in a day? From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, it could easily number in the hundreds. That can be mentally exhausting. But what if you could simplify your life by reducing the number of choices you need to make? What if you could streamline the decision-making process, limit your daily choices and leave yourself with more mental bandwidth by the end of the day?

The Benefits of Fewer Options

Time: Fewer options can help you save time. Whether it’s choosing an outfit to wear in the rush to get to work or deciding what to make for dinner, limited choices will speed up the process.

Money: It’s often easier on the pocketbook. It’s like that joke about the checker at Target asking the customer if they found everything they were looking for. The response? “I wasn’t looking for ANY of this.”.

Satisfaction: It’s often easier to feel satisfied with a purchase when you don’t have 42 options. No matter how much research one does, it’s still possible to be left wondering if there might have been something even better out there.

Declutter Your Environment

One effective way to overcome decision fatigue and simplify your life is to declutter your environment. You don’t have to become a minimalist to reap the benefits but a relatively tidy and organized space can make your daily life easier. Get rid of things you don’t need so you can easily access the items that you use regularly.

Consider how many duplicates you really need. It might be handy to have scissors in a couple of different locations in your home but do you need half a dozen spatulas to choose from in the kitchen? It might seem like a small thing but when faced with several similar items to choose from, you are using up a limited supply of decision-making ability.

Streamline Your Decision-Making Process

Consider ways to streamline your decision-making process. Set criteria or guidelines for certain types of decisions, so that you can quickly evaluate options and make your choice. For example, choose a limited color palette for clothing and accessories. You don’t have to go as far as Steve Jobs did (he always wore a black mock turtleneck and jeans)…although you could. The average American purchased around 25 items of clothing annually in the early 1960s but that number is closer to 70 now. Do we really need all those clothes…and all those choices?

Limit your options. Choose one or two grocery stores for your weekly shopping. If you live in a big city, consider creating your own “neighborhood” limits when deciding on a restaurant or where you’ll shop. Not only will you narrow down your choices but you are more likely to develop friendly and helpful relationships. We buy all of our flowers from a certain florist in our town. The owner knows us and we have an account with our credit card on file. Recently, while driving somewhere, David called and ordered a plant for a funeral. The shop owner knew who it was for, took the order over the phone, and said he’d deliver them to the funeral home that afternoon. It took less than 2 minutes. There are decided benefits in developing a small circle of shopping options.

Make choices once. About 25 years ago I found a nightgown I love and have been wearing that brand and style ever since. When they start to wear out I simply order more. The same is true for perfume. I’ve been wearing Shalimar since high school.

Take a look at the things you buy or use regularly and determine if you can find a brand/style/flavor/color/scent you like and then stick to it. If you are happy with your shampoo you don’t need to stand in the shampoo aisle trying to decide if you’d rather have the volumizing or the conditioning version. If you and your family like a certain spaghetti sauce, don’t worry about trying the new “homestyle” version (which is likely more expensive anyway). Put your regular brand in the shopping cart and move on.

Create your own personal brand. Instead of feeling constrained by limits, think of it as an expression of your own style.

Prioritize Your Goals

One area of life which can be especially challenging when it comes to decisions is that of our personal goals. If you’re anything like me you have a lengthy list of goals, dreams, and challenges you’d like to pursue. But if we try to do it all at once we are likely not to do any of it.

Instead, consider your priorities and choose just one or two goals to work on at a time. You can keep a running list of ideas for later but make your daily choices in accordance with your top priorities.

Why It’s Important to Decrease Decision Fatigue

If it’s true that our ability to make good decisions is decreased as our brain becomes tired from too many choices (and I believe it does), then it stands to reason that we will not be at our best later in the day. Have you ever started the day with good intentions regarding a new diet, only to find yourself choosing cookies instead of fruit for your evening snack? Or what about having to make an important decision about something at the end of your work day? It’s more challenging, right?

So if we can free up some of our mental resources by scaling back on the number of routine choices made each day, we can make better decisions about the things that really matter. We will also have more “willpower” at the end of the day and that might lead to healthier food choices, an after-dinner walk, and going to bed at a reasonable hour instead of scrolling Tik Tok until midnight. At least there’s a better chance!

What is Decision Fatigue?

Decision Fatigue: Why I wear the same $10 shirt every day