It’s thought that adults make an average of 35,000 decisions a day. That’s a lot of choices. The choices we make everyday seem endless—whether it’s making a big decision at work, or just figuring out what to eat after a long day—our brains are working hard to choose the best route. If you’re feeling mentally exhausted and overloaded when it comes to making simple decisions - you might be experiencing decision fatigue.
What is Decision Fatigue?
Decision fatigue happens when your brain gets tired from making too many decisions. You might feel exhausted when presented with making a lot of decisions, no matter how big or small. Think of your brain like a battery: with every choice you make, a little bit of that energy is used up. By the end of the day, even the simplest decisions—like which route to take home—can feel hard.
Why Do We Feel Decision Fatigue?
In modern life, we’re making decisions constantly, often without even realising it. Obvious decisions are made whilst we’re working, but technology has now given us endless options in many other areas of our lives. We’ve gone from choosing between a handful of TV channels to scrolling through endless streaming services, from deciding what to eat at a local café to scrolling through hundreds of takeaway options. We’re faced with decisions about everything, all the time.
On top of that, we have limitless access to information. Between social media, emails, and Google, our brains are processing huge amounts of information every second, and all that input requires decision-making. This information overload adds to the mental load, forcing us to make more quick decisions, which may previously not have existed.
Of course, technology has made it easier to find answers to make more informed decisions. But sometimes, we can end up feeling overwhelmed, stuck in indecision, or making snap choices just to get things over with. The more information we take in, the more decisions we have to make, and this can quickly lead to decision overload. Our brains weren’t built to handle this constant stream of choices, which is why we often end up feeling mentally drained by the end of the day.
What Does Decision Fatigue Feel Like?
You might find yourself feeling overwhelmed by even the smallest choices, like picking what to have for dinner or deciding which TV show to watch. Instead of making thoughtful decisions, you might start to procrastinate, putting off things that usually wouldn’t take much thought.
It can also show up as mental exhaustion. You might feel irritable, drained, or like your brain is running on empty. That constant feeling of “I just can’t think anymore” is a classic sign. You may even find yourself making impulsive choices, like opting for fast food instead of cooking, or binge-watching Netflix rather than going for a walk. Decision fatigue can also be a symptom of burnout.
How to Beat Decision Fatigue and Mental Load
The good news is there are ways you can help ease the fatigue from making a huge amount of decisions
- Prioritise the Big Stuff Focus on decisions that matter most. If you’ve got a few big tasks for the day, try to tackle them earlier when your brain is fresh.
- Set Routines When you know what’s coming next, you reduce the need to make decisions constantly. Establish habits for your mornings or bedtime, so you're not deciding every little thing.
- Limit Your Options We tend to think more choice equals more freedom, but often it’s the opposite. Narrowing down your options, whether it’s the apps you use or options for dinner, can reduce that overwhelming feeling.
- Create a Decision Bank Try writing lists of options for things that have a large number of options. For example, write dinner options on pieces of paper and then pick out of the bank when your lacking decision-making.
- Take Breaks Decision-making is exhausting! Take short, regular breaks throughout the day to recharge your mental battery. Even a five-minute walk can make a huge difference.
Decision fatigue is part of modern life, but by cutting down the number of choices we make daily and giving our minds some breathing space, we can feel more in control. Small changes—like setting routines, simplifying decisions, and taking breaks—can make a big difference to our mental load.
