Decision Fatigue : Get A Little More Energy This Week
Back in the olden days of 1980-something, my dad complained about the thousands of decisions he’d make every day at work.
As a teenager, I’d sarcastically think, Jeez, Dad. Poor you.
I mean, how hard is it to make decisions all day long? 🙄
Sounds like a luxury! I mean - kids don’t get to make any decisions! You’re fighting for every decision you want to make - what to wear, where to go, what to eat.
What a fool I was.
What I’d give now to not have to make decisions!
But for my clients and me, it’s not the BIG decisions that are killing us: it’s the teeny, tiny, stupid decisions we must make to get through every day.
- What time should we leave for the airport?
- What should we have for dinner?
- Which sneakers should I buy my kid?
UGGGGG! They’re exhausting and steal our time!
This is Decision Fatigue - that wiped out feeling you have because sooooo many things are swimming in your head - big things & little things & middle things.
It’s not only exhausting. It creates anxiety, worry, fear, overwhelm.
We all have BIG decisions to make. Currently on my mind:
- How do I want to scale my business?
- Where do I want to live in 10 years?
- How are we going to pay for retirement?
Why do I waste time with little, teeny-tiny decisions that don’t really matter?
Example: I wanted to get more serious about my yoga practice.
But, I was totally bullshitting myself by spending hours on the MindBody app,
exploring which class to take,
at what studio,
at which time,
with what teacher!
Comparing, looking at my calendar, overthinking it all.
I wasted so much time deciding, sorting, ranking, and researching…that I wasn’t making it to class.
I mean. Seriously. I was so sick of thinkin’ about yoga that I wasn’t doing yoga!
It sounds stupid, but I bet somewhere in your life, you’re avoiding actually DOING something by spending too much time thinking about it.
This is buffering - avoiding just DOING the damn thing.
Thinking about doing yoga…Researching yoga…
Exploring yoga…Planning yoga…
Is NOT doing yoga!!
How do I get out of decision fatigue? Pick one & go with it. See how it works out.
I mean - jeez, it’s all just an experiment anyway. We cannot know the perfect solution!
You’ll likely resist this tool. Tell yourself, Ohhhh! I need all the options!
No. No you don’t. All the options are absolutely paralyzing.
Here’s how I solved my yoga problem:
I committed to the studio I felt most comfortable with, most convenient to my home.
Made my constraints.
Bought a year unlimited pass.
That. Was. That.
Are you tired of making thousands of decisions a day - that feel important but actually aren’t?
Decisions keeping you from taking action?
You’re in Decision Fatigue.
How do you deal with it? Make it stop?
As usual, I suggest NOT overhauling your life. Choose one area you feel like you’re in Decision Fatigue.
- What to wear/read/eat/watch
- Which offer you want to develop in your business
- Which web hosting software to use
- Which marketing platform to use
These little decisions are keeping you stuck in a loop…creating anxiety, worry, and exhaustion.
How to constrain?
- Decide about one aspect of your life that’s currently depleting you.
- Simplify & take action.
- Is life better? The same? #winning
- Is life worse? Make a different choice.
This won’t be easy: that’s ok.
Make a choice - it may not be perfect. That’s ok.
We gain confidence not by doing things perfectly, but by doing something - knowing we can handle the outcome.
You can do this. I promise - micro shifts yield macro results.
Where’s a place in your life where you spend too much time & energy figuring things out? Maybe it’s meal planning. Or deciding which of the 10 books on your nightstand to read. Or it’s WHICH business model is the best for you. Or which training to take to get that certification you want.
I promise - more choices does not give you MORE. It steals time & energy.
During this season, think about how you can constrain your decisions, and watch how much more time & energy you’ll have to actually DO the thing!
