“I must have a prodigious amount of mind; it takes me as much as a week, to make it up!” In a 2011 study, researchers followed a group of judges deciding whether or not to offer imprisoned individuals a chance at parole. Logically, one might expect factors such as the imprisoned person’s crime, existing sentence, and current behavior to be the primary considerations. However, while these details were duly examined, one variable greatly impacted the time of day.
Imprisoned people who met with the board in the morning were far more likely to receive parole than those whose cases were reviewed in the afternoon, even if their crimes and sentences were practically identical. This finding might seem strange, but the researchers’ explanation was simple, the judges were likely exhausted in the afternoon. Specifically, they were experiencing decision fatigue.
Understanding Decision Fatigue:
Decision fatigue is a type of cognitive exhaustion that is the result of an extended period of decision-making. It leaves people impulsive and less confident about the decisions they are making. In a scenario such as this study, where stakes are very high, the risks associated with decision fatigue are pretty apparent. However, in daily life, this phenomenon can also take a severe toll.
All bodily functions are physical and consume energy. To say exactly which energy resources get used up with mental strain, there is still too much ambiguity; however, one thing research does show: a lot of people have an implicit daily threshold when it comes to making choices. Once such a threshold has been reached, most people, on their own initiative, elect to “slack off” for another day with important thinking concerning new decisions to come.
Decision Fatigue Determinant Variables:
How fast you hit this wall depends on the number of, the complexity of, and whether these decisions are novel or not.
- Frequency: Many everyday decisions, no matter how trivial, will fatigue you.
- Complexity: More complex decisions require so much cognitive energy and can rapidly deplete mental reserves.
- Novelty: New, unfamiliar decisions are more draining because they demand much more thought and deliberation.
Some Examples of Decision Fatigue:
For example, the decision of what to eat for breakfast is not that taxing. In addition to the fact that you are limited to what’s available, it is something you expect to make once a day with pretty low stakes. Even when you’re not really sure what to eat, the time between this minor decision and the next one should give you ample room to recover whatever cognitive energy you expend.
But let’s imagine something much trickier. So, for instance, your car has broken down, and you need it replaced in an instant. This is an unexpected, complex decision with critical consequences. In this case, there are thousands of choices available, and you will not find them all in one place. To make the right decision, you will spend hours doing careful research to weigh the pros and cons. Since this is something, you don’t often decide, you will have to identify also what considerations are most important for you.
This time pressure can bring extra stress to both the moment of making and after the decision, since you use a lot of energy wondering whether you would have made a different decision if only you had more time.
High-stakes professions and decision fatigue:
Most people would already have crossed the threshold of reaching their decision-making limit after a single such significant decision. For professionals who must make several crucial decisions daily, however, decision fatigue can be significantly more dangerous.
Like the 2011 study, judges often face one difficult decision after another with little time to recharge. Researchers are especially concerned about decision fatigue in medicine. Doctors work long shifts full of life-or-death decisions, and some studies have found that medical workers are much more likely to make critical mistakes when working extended shifts.
Strategies Against Decision Fatigue:
Institutional changes are required to address these issues, but there are more direct ways most of us can avoid fatigue in our daily lives.
- Limit Daily Decisions: One simple strategy is to make fewer daily decisions, tackling your to-do list over multiple days or even removing some rote decisions from your day altogether.
- Delegate Decisions: It’s probably also easier to have advice on a hard choice than to have to make that choice yourself. Think of your choices as being made for someone else before thinking about how they impact you specifically.
- Prioritize Decisions: Not all choices are made equal, however. Learning to stop sweating the small stuff can help you save your energy for decisions that count.
Conclusion:
Decision fatigue is a very real and very universal phenomenon that troubles both high-stakes professionals and everyday mortals. Knowing what causes mental exhaustion in decision-making and how to control it is the first step toward helping change. Therefore, by prioritizing, delegating, and curtailing daily decisions, we preserve our mental energy and make smarter decisions, not foolish rash ones. Next time you face being overwhelmed with so many options, remember, it’s quite alright to back away, catch your breath, and decide with an alert and well-rested head.
FAQs:
1. What is decision fatigue?
Decision fatigue is cognitive exhaustion after extended decision-making.
2. How does decision fatigue affect us?
It makes people more impulsive and less confident in their choices.
3. What can cause decision fatigue?
Frequent, complex, and novel decisions contribute to fatigue.
4. How can we reduce decision fatigue?
Limit daily decisions and tackle them over multiple days.
5. Why are high-stakes professions at risk?
They involve multiple crucial decisions without recovery time.
6. How can we manage decision fatigue?
Prioritize important decisions and delegate when possible.
