Do you feel tired of having to make choices? You may be suffering from decision fatigue.
In what order should you respond to your emails? Which file to prioritize? Is it a good idea to move? To change jobs? What to prepare for dinner? Where to go for the next vacation? Throughout the day, more or less important and complex decisions are imposed on us. At work first, and then at home with the requests of our spouse and our children. Faced with too many decisions made and to be made, it is possible to develop what we call “decision-making” fatigue.
Decision fatigue corresponds to a state of mental exhaustion that occurs at a given period when the individual has had an excess of decisions to make. “It is not so much fatigue which makes decisions difficult to make and which generates a state of exhaustion but the fact that there has been an accumulation of decisions to be made”immediately poses Pierre-Antoine Gillouin, clinical psychologist. Decision fatigue is explained by the fact that people are constantly mobilizing resources to evaluate options, pose consequences and make choices.
“The more these decisions are made in a sequence, the more mental effort accumulates and the more resources decrease. As a result, we make decisions more impulsively and we tend to procrastinate to avoid cognitive overload in the present moment. This causes irritability, stress and reduced performance”explains the clinical psychologist. As for research in neuroscience, Danziger’s work carried out in 2011 showed that activity decreased in the prefrontal cortex after a long period of decisions. However, initiating, maintaining, and finishing an action are all tasks that are managed by the prefrontal cortex. This explains the difficulties in making decisions.
Several strategies can be implemented to combat decision fatigue. First, simplify daily decisions by reducing non-essential choices. Prioritizing and planning tasks is also essential. “In practice, it is best to plan the most important actions at the start of the day when energy is at its peak”advises the specialist. Practicing mindfulness can help remobilize the prefrontal cortex, as can nutrition and hydration. Finally, delegating certain tasks and automating those that are repetitive represents an interesting avenue for reducing cognitive activity. If fatigue persists despite everything, it is best to consult a healthcare professional.
Thanks to Pierre-Antoine Gillouin, clinical psychologist.
