ELI5: decision fatigue
// explanation
What is decision fatigue?
Decision fatigue is when your brain gets tired from making too many choices, just like your legs get tired from running a lot [1][2]. After you've made lots of decisions during the day, your brain doesn't work as well for making new choices [1].
Why does it happen?
Your brain uses energy every time you make a decision, and it can only make so many good decisions before it needs a break [2]. When you've used up that energy by lunchtime, your brain gets lazy about choosing [1].
What does it feel like?
It feels like when you're really hungry and tired, and someone asks you what you want for dinner—suddenly you can't decide even though there are tons of yummy options [5]. You might either avoid making the choice (procrastination) or just pick something without thinking (impulsivity) [3].
How do you fix it?
You can make fewer big decisions by planning ahead or letting other people decide some things for you [1]. If you make your important choices early in the day when your brain is fresh, you'll make better decisions [2].
// sources
Decision fatigue is “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” said Dr. MacLean. “ ...
Mar 23, 2018 ... This phenomenon, known as decision fatigue, describes the impaired ability to make decisions and control behavior as a consequence of repeated ...
Jun 1, 2023 ... Decision fatigue develops over the course of the day when you're faced with too many hard choices. Both procrastination and impulsivity are ...
Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making.
Have you ever gotten to the end of a busy day, looked in the fridge, and had absolutely no idea what to make for dinner, despite having an abundance of food ...
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