How to reduce cognitive load and decision fatigue

After a long and demanding day at work, Sarah found herself standing in front of the grocery store shelves, feeling the weight of decision fatigue settling in.?

As she tried to choose a healthier cereal option, the multitude of choices overwhelmed her.?

High fiber, low sugar, organic, granola – each box presented a different decision, and Sarah couldn't muster the mental energy to make a thoughtful choice.?

Exhausted, she eventually just grabbed a random box from the shelf.?

The decision, influenced more by fatigue than intention, reflected the toll that constant decision-making had taken on Sarah's ability to make well-considered choices.

Have you ever felt like this after a work day?

Where you’ve reached the -? “I don’t care any more” phase?

I think we all have experienced this and it's not surprising because we are asking alot of our brains throughout the day to make many big and small decisions.

Those decisions are often very important and can affect many people.

Here are a few ways to decrease cognitive load and decision fatigue.

1. Create a routine and rhythm.

Automate as much of the little decisions you make each day by creating a routine.

If you decide every morning to have the same routine - wake up, drink water, exercise, breakfast, shower, brush teeth, get dressed, go to work, etc… Your brain doesn’t need to make those little decisions on what to do next.?

In doing so, you reduce the cognitive load and have more capacity to use when making important decisions later in the work day.

2. Create clear boundaries and priorities.

Many times we allow other people to determine what is important for us. For example, you might get called into a meeting that you don’t really want or need to be a part of.?

But because you haven’t clearly defined boundaries or priorities for yourself that day, you get sucked into it and it wastes time and mental energy.?

Clearly define each day what is most important for you.

3. Create focus time.

Jumping back and forth between different tasks is a huge energy suck and contributor to decision fatigue. Going back and forth between email,answering calls, working on a project and getting interrupted in all of those things is costing you a lot.?

In creating clear priorities you can then decide when you will work on those and create focused times to do so.?

That could mean shutting down all windows on your computer and putting your phone in airplane/focus mode for 45 min while you work on your most important thing for the day.?

As an added bonus you will get more done/be more productive.

Your ability to think clearly and make decisions is one of the most important things you can do to help you achieve your goals.?

It also can really help you keep your sanity, avoid burnout and just enjoy your day more.

What’s one thing you can implement this week to decrease mental fatigue?

-David

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