What are effective ways to reduce decision fatigue?

Simplicity lies in doing one thing at a time, just as it's wise not to make numerous decisions hastily. Prioritize tasks, focusing on what comes first and what comes last. Enhance your concentration on each action, and maintain control over your emotions.

In my experience, I reduce decision fatigue by simplifying choices. I focus on a few viable options aligned with our goals, employing mental shortcuts like trusted rules of thumb or delegating decisions to capable team members. Streamlining choices and using efficient shortcuts ensure effective decision-making without overwhelming complexity

This has to be the most important thing. Because the more the number of choices the more effort is needed in deciding the best option. When there is more effort eventually the brain decides to procrastinate and or sometimes get more agitated. So the suggestion to simplify the options is often a game changer.

I find it helpful to reduce choices as much as possible. For example, since I generally see clients once a week, I will select one professional outfit to wear that week. I leave it in the office and put it on when I get to work, take it off before going home. I have seven or eight such outfits in a row in my closet, and at the end of one week I wash and hang that outfit up, and they all move down one spot. I don't have to choose my outfit every morning - I don't even have to 'choose' my outfit at the beginning of the week: it is already pre-selected. When I'm tired of an outfit, or want to mix it up, that means I have the energy and attention to choose something new. Otherwise, I steward my energies for more important things.

A great way to help with this is setting up a decision-making criteria. For example if you were trying to make a decision about a new job, what are they key criteria that are important to assess the job against. We often look at decisions as one big thing, but often they are made up of lots of little things. If we can get clear on the little decisions within the big decision, it can be easier to work through.

Consider the importance of focused, concise meetings. Endless, agenda-less meet-ups can rapidly drain mental energy. By maintaining a clear agenda and sticking to it, mental exhaustion can be mitigated, preventing decision fatigue. Not to forget the concept of 'no-meeting days'. An entire day dedicated to deep, strategic thought. An uninterrupted oasis in the busy week, geared towards fostering innovation and insightful planning. Also, multitasking – an often-praised skill, is far from being beneficial. Quite the contrary, it's a fertile ground for decision fatigue. Single-tasking, on the other hand, eases the mental load making work more efficient and less exhausting.

One of the most underrated skills is delegation because many feel insecure or their importance is lost. But the beauty about delegation is that you help someone and in the process, you help yourself and the cherry on the cake is that you get a chance to focus on the next improvement area.

Empower your teams, made them feel secure to make decisions or present clear decisions. If you ask to every thing pass through you it will come a time that you start to feel tired of all the decision making and get trapped on much day to day or operational decision. Empower your teams because that will also give you time for strategic decision. But for that you need to work closely, give training and support and not change on the first problem that arises.

The practice of taking breaks is a game changer because when we take breaks we give the brain time to reduce the overwhelm. This ensures that new possibilities are created or the obstacles are cleared.

One of the most important skills is to take stock of how things went and then keep doing the tasks that really worked well. The process of review helps in improving and creating a roadmap that will help in future pacing.

The fact that nothing worthwhile was built overnight should be something to consider. So, accept the imperfect steps and keep moving forward.

it takes us to an important point which is expectations VS reality. I think we should handle our expectations to meet our real life to avoid regrets, disappointment and depression.