Some Easy Ways To Reduce Decision Fatigue
I limit my freedom for my own good
Decision fatigue is usually defined as the phenomenon that the more decisions you have to make throughout the day, the more stressed you become about decision-making over time.
Throughout the day, over time you say?! I’m tired of making decisions by 7AM.
Having some choice feels good. If you only had two possible options for food to eat for the rest of your life, you would, eventually, start to long for some variety.
But having 1,000 possibilities for what to eat for the rest of your life is overwhelming. The paradox of choice is that having too many choices is making people anxious.
There is somewhere in the middle that isn’t overwhelming but still allows for some flexibility.
Instead of being on a quest for perfection, I’m on a quest to find a place where I have just enough choices to stay sane.
Here are some things that have worked for me:
Food
Order groceries online
Use your order history, don’t start from scratch
Pick some random order from a few weeks ago and then add all to cart (basically just get all the same stuff again you got last month)
When in doubt, sheet pan recipe and/or a go-to thing you always like to eat (hello microwave nachos w/jalapeños and refried beans)
Feed leftovers to the dog or throw them away
don’t store them unless you have enough for another entire dinner - they won’t get eaten, and then the fridge gets gross and you can’t see the stuff you want to eat)
I know this is wasteful but I have to be real - I hate leftovers. So I always try to make just enough that everyone will eat, or way too much and then plan to have 2 dinners.
Store the fruit and veg/quickly perishable stuff at eye level in the fridge, put sauces and stuff that can live in your fridge forever in the drawers
Get “work groceries” if you work onsite and have somewhere to store food
I’m lucky to have a fridge at work that isn’t used by many other people
On Sundays, I put in a grocery order for Monday pickup so I can keep my work fridge stocked with stuff for lunch (salads, frozen burritos, granola bars, etc.). Then I don’t have to make myself lunch before I leave for work.
I also eat dinner before I go home, so I can focus on kids and not be annoyed that I’m starving.
Exercise
Do a 10 minute desk exercise routine that requires no equipment on your lunch break and/or during kid nap
Or just take a walk on your lunch break
Gifts
Text your close family/friends that you’d like to reduce gift exchange expectations for decluttering / financial / environmental / mental health reasons. I personally really don’t want anyone to buy me anything for birthdays or holidays - I don’t need any more stuff in my house - and you might find other people feel that way too.
Buy a small stash of emergency gifts
lego kits and/or craft/stem kits for your kids’ friends (whatever they tend to be into)
fancy boxes of chocolate or candy, especially if you have a local candy or chocolate shop (just be sure to give them away soon/mark when you bought them)
pretty “blank inside” cards
emotional support crochet animals/plants (I got one of these from my coworker and even though I’m basically dead inside I really love it, and I want the dumpster fire one)
Decluttering
Get a trash bag.
Fill it up with trash, toys that were part of a game or set that isn’t whole anymore, stained / destroyed clothes you cannot donate, old shampoo / lotion bottles - whatever isn’t aiding your current survival.
No mercy. Don’t think about it.
Throw it away.
Entertainment
Can’t figure out what to watch?
If it’s daytime and the weather’s reasonable, go outside instead.
If it’s nighttime, go to bed. You probably need to catch up on sleep anyway.1
I’m 100% serious.