Decision Fatigue And Quality Decision Making

Our Decisions (our choices) matter Every Day!!! This Year is the New You! Do you know how many decisions you make each day? Once you find out, you might realize that you have decision fatigue.

It is estimated that you make around 35,000 decisions every day! 

Question:
What’s one decision that you made today?

Sometimes we get tired of making decisions; we are tired of responsibility and just feel exhausted and don’t want to even think about what we will eat for dinner….

Life is busy…it’s too much work to make another decision, even a simple decision about something healthy to nourish my body with.

If this is how you are feeling, you could be suffering from decision fatigue!

What is Decision Fatigue?

Decision fatigue is the exhaustion that comes from having to make all of those endless decisions every day, even the little mindless decisions that still have some value or importance to them.

This is a HUGE problem if you are an overthinker, as most women are, then we are easily paralyzed by so many options and decisions.

Well if the average day for us is to make 35,000 decisions, what does a day even look like?

If you live alone and you’re retired  It starts like this: 
You wake up and look at the clock….Should I go back to sleep? Should I doze off again?

Or if you’re working outside the home…
you had to make a decision to set your alarm clock:

Then the alarm goes off: Should I click the SNOOZE button, or should I get up now?

Then it’s off to the washroom… Should I make coffee first or should I drink lemon water first?

Then it’s… Should I shower this morning or tonight? 

There are SO many decisions…

Decisions about what to wear – should I wear jeans or my comfy pants…which shirt do I want to wear, what color is good for me today…and what earrings, and what makeup am I putting on today? WOW – it’s kind of overwhelming!

Now it’s – What do I feel like eating? Am I even hungry? Should I make an egg and toast, or should I eat oatmeal?  

Then it’s what task do I want to accomplish today?  

And It all adds up to ‘choice exhaustion.’

If you work outside the home there are different decisions to make so it looks a lot more like:

What should I eat for breakfast – what should I take for lunch? Should I take something out of the freezer for dinner? Should I fuel up my vehicle before or after work? Do I need to make a shopping list? Do I need to stop at the store after work?

If you have children it’s a whole lot more CHAOTIC….and more decisions are added to your day?

You may not even notice or have ever thought about all the decisions you make in an hour, let alone a whole day. We don’t think of our decisions as strenuous because we are not doing pushups or running a marathon, but what it boils down to is that we are  just tired of the responsibility of making all the little decisions; we feel it… and that’s when we have decision fatigue. 

This is a mental exhaustion that drains us.

If you are an Overthinker, then you are not just making decisions, but you are also battling in your mind with the decisions you are making – is this way is better or is that way is better….etc. 

If you are an overthinker, you may want to simplify as much as you can in order to avoid decision fatigue.

Maybe you’re good with organizing your life, but you’re still exhausted. Finding easy routines and simplifying your life can help you get your life back so you’re not as exhausted.

Craig Groschel says that…

The quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives.

Craig Groeschel

So here’s something to ask yourself:

Are You Making Quality Decisions With Your Food Choices?

The Bible says:

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will Establish your plans!

Proverbs 16:3

WHATEVER YOU DO… Yes! this includes what you eat, what you drink, and how you nourish your body. These are decisions that we must make and when we want to shed the weight and get healthy, these decisions need to be a priority and important in your life. 

**Learn about Self Love Exercises that you can use in your daily life!**

When we know your goals, our decisions are easier to make. When our values are clear, our decisions are easier as well. 

Ask yourself this question: Is health a real priority to you or a real value in your life?  

We need to know what our priorities are. Is losing weight a priority? Are healthy habits a priority?

We talk about the fact that our life is always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts – whether negative or positive. AND this also goes with weight loss…

Your life is moving in the direction of the decisions you are making…so right now – do you like the direction that your decisions are taking you? Are you making the decisions that align with your weight loss goals?

If you are  – congratulate yourself. 

If you know you aren’t making the best decisions, resolve to make a change. Maybe you have decision fatigue. 

IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE DECISION FATIGUE try this:

Stick to a Daily Routine!

(try this for a week and see if it works for you)

As much as possible, do the same things, in the same order, for a few days and see how you feel. 

You’re not a robot, but do this to see if it helps you feel like you handle the important decisions easier. Creating simple and doable routines will help you stay focused on your health and wellness. 

We are what we repeatedly do, so healthy habits will help you get healthy, just like unhealthy habits will get you unhealthy. 

So…Try getting up at the same time every day (yes, even weekends!) and have a set morning routine. This will help with decision fatigue.

Plan your day. Maybe your routine will include prepping veggies and fruits first thing in the morning either before breakfast or right after breakfast so that the healthy options are there for you to grab when you’re searching for a snack. 

Plan exercise into your calendar so that you don’t have to decide when you’ll do it – you already know when you’re doing it. 

It’s all these little decisions that add up to decision fatigue – and when we incorporate healthy habits that are key to getting to your goals, then it’s one less decision you have to make because it’s already made for the day!

Make a list, either in the evening before you go to bed or first thing in the morning, and write down your top 3 tasks to accomplish for the day. Do these when you have the most amount of energy and clarity, and you will be amazed at how the rest of your decision making goes for the day. Having those checked off your to-do list will help you feel accomplished and the rest of the decisions will be made with an attitude of accomplishment and feeling good about yourself. 

Final Thoughts on Eliminating Decision Fatigue

Of course, you can never eliminate ALL of the decisions you need to make, but removing decision fatigue when it comes to the smaller things frees your mind to concentrate on the more important decisions and tasks.

Remember – your life is moving in the direction of the decisions you are making – so are you making good decisions?

When your values are clearly defined, your decisions are easier to make. 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will Establish your plans!

Proverbs 16:3

Are you consistently making healthy decisions? If not, Are you ready to make consistent healthy decisions?

Are you devoted to a healthy lifestyle? If not, are you ready to be devoted to a healthy lifestyle?

Are you a finisher of the race God has called you to? If not, are you ready to put on your sneakers and win?

Are you faithful in inviting God into your decisions? If not, are you ready to begin your day with God in the journey?

Commit to the Lord whatever you, and He will establish your plans 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

Psalm 119:105

Are you ready?  Let’s say it like this: “God’s word is a lamp to (place your name here) feet and a light to (place your name here) path. 

Today’s Decision

There’s one decision that you can make today that might just change your life. Join our Food Freedom Workshop! Find out more here – women just like you have seen incredible results from our 5 day workshop!

Register Here!

With each step we take and every decision we make, God’s lamp will light our path. So, which steps and decisions do you need to take? Let me know in the comments below!

Remember, you are a woman chosen for greatness,
Ruth Verbree