Decision fatigue is something that many of us struggle with, often without even realizing it. For the longest time, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions I had to make daily. From minor choices like what to eat for breakfast to significant life decisions, the constant need to decide left me mentally exhausted. I was exhausted and could not stand it anymore. I knew that I had to change it to avoid burnout. Through a series of small but impactful changes, I managed to overcome decision fatigue and improve my decision-making skills. It did not happen miraculously in one day; it took some time while I worked on myself. However, here’s how I did it and what worked for me:
1. Recognizing the Problem
It may seem obvious, but it wasn’t for me. The first step in overcoming any challenge, I believe, is acknowledging its existence. Awareness that something is not working allows us to create perspective. I realized that my indecisiveness and mental exhaustion were symptoms of decision fatigue. They were related to my overall perfectionism and insecurity, which I was suffering from at that time (and worked on through energy healing therapy). This awareness was crucial, as it allowed me to work on the root cause (myself and my patterns) at the same time as addressing the symptoms (what I could do to mitigate the impact while working to eliminate the root cause).
The next steps will mostly cover mitigation and self-help topics, as everyone will have their own root cause, where working requires a personal approach and will be different for every individual (based on personal assessment of patterns).
2. Simplifying Routine Decisions
This one is pretty easy to do. I started by simplifying routine decisions to eliminate overthinking. For instance, together with my wife, we created a list of all the meals we like and want to eat. Then we started doing planning sessions (not only for meals but also for other chores) on a weekly basis. As an outcome, we created a free board in Trello and shared it between us. By reducing the number of trivial decisions I had to make and align each day, I freed up mental energy for more important choices. This small change had a surprisingly significant impact on my overall well-being. It decreased decision fatigue significantly, and minimized the amount of redundant and time-consuming interactions between me and my wife.
3. Prioritizing Decisions
Next, from the list of decisions that were not so trivial, I began prioritizing my decisions. I learned to distinguish between decisions that required immediate attention and those that could wait. I also identified at the beginning which decisions were reversible and which were not; however, that did not work for me. Having decisions categorized as reversible made them decisions that in reality were never taken. Even if they were taken, they were still in my mind, consuming energy, as I could always change them back. This helped me focus my energy on high-impact decisions and approach them with a clearer mind.
4. Setting Time and Financial Impact Limits
To avoid overthinking, which was a killer for me, I started setting time limits for making decisions. It created a kind of anxiety at the beginning, but then being pushed to close some decisions that were hanging in the air was also kind of helpful. I used deadlines for some decisions that were not trivial but had financial impacts beyond 100-200 EUR. With this approach, some decisions appeared easy to just get rid of and have them taken. I also knew that there was no internal way back once decided. This technique not only reduced the time spent on decisions.
5. Discipline and No Way Back Approach
This comes back to decisions that were at the beginning categorized as reversible. All decisions taken were considered irreversible, and there was no way back. It was hard to have self-discipline with the gate always open. Having some self-respect (it took me some time) in mind, I finally decided not to come back to decisions that were taken. OK, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” but step by step, with discipline and focus, I was not coming back to re-think. Firstly trivial things, then more complex ones, and then really important ones. Practice was required, though.
6. Delegating and Trust
I realized that I didn’t have to make every decision myself. Delegating decisions, whether at work or at home, was a game-changer. Trusting others to handle certain tasks allowed me to focus on more critical decisions and reduced my overall mental load. However, I had to monitor this closely as some decisions just had to be taken by me. Avoidance with delegation but without trust or for decisions that I had to face only increased decision fatigue as my mind was still thinking about them.
7. Embracing Imperfection
One of the most liberating changes was embracing imperfection. It was hard for me, but I accepted that not every decision would be perfect and that it was okay to make mistakes. This mindset shift alleviated a lot of the pressure I had put on myself and made decision-making a less daunting task. Surprisingly or not, years after implementing this improvement, I can’t recall any decision that would be bad in the end or that I would do differently. It looks like with my old approach and overthinking to make something perfect, I was burning my energy for no reason.
8. Reflecting, Observing, and Learning
As described above, reflections were surprising sometimes. However, I made it a habit to reflect on my decisions. By analyzing what worked and what didn’t, I learned valuable lessons that improved my decision-making skills over time. What was shocking was that the more I let go, with kind of trust that everything was going to work well for me and my family, the better it all was. The more I surrendered to the decision that was once taken, the better the outcomes were. This ongoing process of reflection and learning has been instrumental in my growth.
It was kind of incorporating mindfulness and looking at my life and decisions from a different perspective. Having these few tips added to my daily routine helped me stay present and focused. I do not want to mention here other things that I was doing to work on myself to feel better as these are more universal. Meditation, physical exercises, or deep breathing improved my mental clarity and reduced stress, making it easier to approach decisions calmly and thoughtfully as well.
9. The Golden Aspect That Improved My Decision-Making Skills Forever
Here it gets a bit tricky, as on top of the entire logical thinking I embedded my emotions and gut feelings, instincts, or third eye. Whatever you want to call it does not really matter; what matters really is my first feeling after a decision is taken. If I feel joy, happiness, or relief, then it only confirms that the decision was right. On the other side, when I decide but I feel anxiety, additional hustle, or start feeling worried or angry, preferring the opposite one or some other one, then I often change it immediately and surrender, trusting that the universe knows better. It requires some kind of level of understanding of life and the ability to look at all that is happening from a perspective.
My mind is limited, and the universe and all the forces around me usually know more than I can even imagine. Why not use them, then, to help me create the best version of possible life for me and my family (not jeopardized by my mental cage of analytical and physical perception)?
10. Beyond Perception – Work on Your Beliefs
Our beliefs play a crucial role in shaping our decision-making process. They act as filters through which we interpret information and assess options. If you hold limiting beliefs, such as doubting your abilities or fearing failure, these can hinder your ability to make confident and effective decisions. On the other hand, empowering beliefs can boost your confidence and clarity, enabling you to make decisions more swiftly and with greater assurance. By reflecting on and adjusting your core beliefs, you can significantly enhance your decision-making process and reduce the mental strain associated with decision fatigue. Recognizing impacting beliefs, will not happen in one day, however being able to recognize patterns that influences you could be shocking. At least it was for me as my decision fatigue appeared to be the lessons that I had to learn in order to make it disappear.
Conclusion – Decision Fatigue and Decision-Making Skills as a Process
Overcoming decision fatigue and improving my decision-making skills has been a transformative journey. While it required effort and patience, the benefits have been well worth it. I now approach decisions with greater confidence and clarity, and I feel more in control of my life. It’s not that I am perfect and do everything smoothly; sometimes decisions still cost me a lot, but it all gets better and better. If you’re struggling with decision fatigue, I hope these strategies can help you as much as they’ve helped me. Remember, it’s all about making small, manageable changes that lead to significant improvements over time. These are the things that worked for me; maybe they can also work for you.
