Decision fatigue: What is it and why are more of us feeling it?

Whether you've put a name to it or not, the psychological term is making its way into conversations between peers, partners and parents

Studies show that the average adults makes up to 35,000 decisions a day, so fatigue can set it when our brain needs a timeout. Photo: Pexels

Takeout or home cooking? Trip to the cinema or new Netflix series? Pantsuit or chic skirt? These seem like simple decisions to make, but can still feel overwhelming in the moment.

If you don't characterise yourself as indecisive on a typical day, you might be instead suffering from decision fatigue. The phrase has been discussed in therapy and psychology circles for a few decades, but it is increasingly permeating everyday speech.

“I've known it's a thing for a while, even though I didn't put a name to it,” says Natasha Hatherall, founder and chief executive of TishTash PR. “Only recently have I heard this term being used a lot, mostly by fellow entrepreneurs.”

Anisha Oberoi, founder and chief executive of clean beauty platform Secret Skin, adds: “I felt it before I had heard of it officially, back when I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2020.”

Likewise for nurse Lizzie Dymott. While the phrase was unfamiliar until recently, the sensation is one she recognised. “As soon as I heard of decision fatigue, I thought: 'Oh yeh, that's the mental load I experience, especially as a mum.'”

To understand more about this seemingly on-the-rise phenomenon, The National uncovers what it is, how to recognise it and helpful steps to take.

Deciding on a definition

Put simply, “decision fatigue is a consequence of making too many decisions”, says Elif Celebi Adam, a psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre in Dubai. Indecisiveness, meanwhile, is the inability to decide and commit to a choice.

The phrase first popped up in a 1998 paper by social psychologist Roy F Baumeister, who claimed decision fatigue as an offshoot of ego depletion, the Freudian theory concerning how general tiredness impacts our willpower.

In the two and a half decades since, it has trickled into colloquial speech, but still lacks a formal definition, notes executive and team coach Silvia Bottini. “It took time before people could research and define it; I think it's contextual and depends on the person.”

As it's still not classified as a syndrome or a disorder, there isn't a rule book, diagnosis process or list of medically verified symptoms that are easy to identify. It's more something, as Bottini explains, that she can spot in her clients. “I notice that some of my clients are less responsive, passive. I would describe them as having a low level of energy.”

Or, as Hatherall details, there are signs you can recognise in yourself. “It's not as simple as not being able to make decisions when you're that overloaded and tired: it is literally impossible as you can't see the wood for the trees, as they say.”

Adam adds: “If you feel that you are handling a lot on an everyday basis, are always problem-solving, and have to make decisions for others around you in addition to yourself, this may be it.”

Why does choice-making fatigue set in?

“Decision fatigue refers to the decline in the quality of decision-making experienced by an individual after a prolonged period of making choices,” explains Sarmistha Mitra, a holistic health expert and founder and chief executive of The Wellbeing Sanctuary in Dubai.

“The prefrontal cortex [the part of the brain responsible for rationalising] can get tired and, when this happens, we are not able to rationalise and think accurately,” says Bottini, referring to why we're told multitasking can actually be counterproductive, as there is a limit to the amount of information we can absorb, let alone rationally respond to.

For Hathwall and Oberoi, decision fatigue set in when they took on extra responsibility. “When I started my business, I used to think the bigger it got, the easier it would get,” Hatherall says. “I was so naive. Ultimately, the final decision comes back to you as the CEO. Some days, there is definitely too much decision-making to do, and I just can't.” Oberoi adds: “The multitude of small decisions day to day is exhausting … I found myself delaying decisions.”

For Dymott, it became more of an issue as she embarked on single-parenthood. “Not having that other person you can bounce ideas off is really hard. Day-to-day, it's all down to me, and that's overwhelming. In a couple, one person often leads in one genre of decision-making, such as financial or social. But now, there is always something to be done, and I feel the mental load.”

While it can be experienced by anyone, those with busy work and personal lives, especially with others – employees, children, parents – to look after, may recognise decision fatigue. “Modern life is generally more complex. More products, services, even more foods in the grocery store are available … and this is rhythmed by so many technologies and distractions,” says Adam.

But as Bottini acknowledges: “It is supported by research that people who have ADHD may suffer from decision fatigue, more often than people who are neurotypical.”

With multiple studies showing that the average adult makes an estimated 35,000 decisions per day, it's no surprise that the process becomes tiring. But is indecisiveness over tonight's dinner really that bad?

On the road to burnout

In some instances, the impact can be harmless. But if it persists, a chain of poorly considered decisions has a knock-on effect.

Sitting within Freud's wider (and sometimes controversial) theory of ego depletion, exhausting a limited pool of mental resources can be detrimental to personal willpower; for example, defaulting to a processed takeout meal rather than sticking to a healthier meal plan.

“The negative impacts of decision fatigue include poor decision-making, which can lead to adverse consequences in both personal and professional life,” explains Mitra.

More generally, decision fatigue is also a sign that we're overdoing it in every aspect of our lives – it can be our mind's way of asking for a timeout. For Dynott, she feels “overwhelmed and overstimulated” by constant decisions as a busy nurse and mum, while Oberoi notes delaying vital real-life decisions due to it.

“It plays a lot into burnout, which we're talking about a lot too as we're all so tired and overloaded all the time, and there are consequences to this,” says Hatherall.

“People may feel constantly burnt out, exhausted and even depressed,” says Adam. “Other impacts include poor self-regulation, so being easily irritable, and cognitive impairments, so you often forget things or miss online meetings.”

Ways to ease the load

As a potential solution, Dymott relies on list-making and phone notes, alongside meal-planning when she can to keep her head above water. Hatherall, meanwhile, has focused on delegating and empowering others to be key decision-makers, too. Oberori says when she recognises the cycle, she ensures to make time to reflect and research before giving any decision the go-ahead.

Another famous entrepreneur, Steve Jobs famously only wore a black jumper and jeans, eliminating at least one decision from his morning routine.

But what do the experts recommend? “Simplifying choices by authorising routine or creating habits can reduce the number of decisions that need to be made daily,” is Mitra's advice. “Also, prioritise making important decisions when resources are at their peak, and delegate decision-making responsibilities.”

If coping strategies don't heed results, it could be time to seek professional help as it “may be the product of other underlying issues such as depression and anxiety”, says Adam.

A relaxing activity that doesn't involve decision-making can be key, says Bottini, especially when you feel exhausted. “We are not designed to be robots, to be able to perform and work constantly. We understand this quite easily when it comes to the body. Like athletes, we also need to pause, to sleep, to rest.”