Why easy decisions feel so hard

Over the past month, I’ve made a crazy number of decisions.

Rugs. Lamps. Bedding. Internet providers. Contractors. Delivery schedules.

If you’ve ever moved, you know exactly what I mean.

At first, it was fun. I loved imagining how everything would come together.

But after weeks of researching, comparing, measuring, returning, and deciding, my brain hurts.

Productivity isn’t only about managing your time.

It’s also about managing how many decisions you ask your brain to make.

Every decision, big or small, takes mental energy. By the end of the day, after:

• responding to emails
• prioritizing projects
• attending meetings
• solving problems
• and answering questions…

Your brain is carrying a much heavier load than you realize.

If you’d love more clarity and energy, you have to be smarter about how you make decisions.

Here are three ways to do that.

#1: Reduce them.

Think about the choices you make over and over that don’t require much thought.

• What are you having for breakfast?
• When do you check email?
• How do you structure your team meetings?
• What does your weekly planning process look like?

Creating routines and defaults for these types of decisions frees up energy for the ones that actually deserve your attention.

Like, I have templates for emails I send frequently.

I follow the same planning routine every week.

I don’t reinvent those processes because I’d rather save my brainpower for coaching clients, creating new content, and solving problems.

Every decision you eliminate creates space for a better one later.

#2: Make important decisions before you’re tired.

It’s usually easier to think clearly first thing in the morning than at 4:30 in the afternoon?

Yet when your mental energy is at its lowest, you ask yourself some of the biggest questions:

• What should I work on tomorrow?
• Should I go to the gym?
• What’s for dinner?
• Do I have the energy to start that important project?

It’s no wonder those decisions feel harder.

That’s why I encourage people to make tomorrow’s decisions before today is over.

• Before you leave work, identify your Top 3 priorities for tomorrow.
• Block time on your calendar before someone else fills it.
• Decide your morning so you don’t spend the first 30 minutes figuring it out.

One of the biggest drains on your brain is debating which direction to go.

Put an end to this madness!

#3: Create decision rules.

One of the easiest ways to reduce decision fatigue is to stop making the same decision over and over again.

Instead, create a rule.

We all have moments where we ask ourselves, Should I…?

• Should I check my email?
• Should I accept this meeting?
• Should I respond to this text now?
• Should I squeeze in one more thing before I leave?

Individually, none of those decisions feels like a big deal.

Together, they drain your attention and mental energy.

This is why rules rule.

• Maybe your rule is that you only check email three times a day.
• Maybe you don’t accept meetings without an agenda.
• Maybe you wait 24 hours before making a large purchase.
• Maybe every Friday afternoon you plan the following week.

The more you do this, the more mental energy you’ll have for the work, relationships, and opportunities that truly deserve it.

The Bottom Line

Most of us aren’t exhausted because we’re doing too much.

We’re exhausted because we’re deciding too much.

So today, pay attention to your decisions.

Which ones truly deserve your time and energy?

And which ones could become a routine, a default, or a simple rule?

Your brain will thank you.

XO,

Mridu

P.S. If you know you can make better use of your time and energy, that’s exactly what I help with. Learn about training here or explore one-to-one coaching here.