Decision Fatigue and How it Promotes Self-Destructive Behaviors

By Jordan Mayfield, LSCSW, LCAC

We all make thousands of decisions every day. Should I wake up when my alarm goes off, or should I snooze for five more minutes? Should I change lanes to try to get to work faster or stay in this one? Should I run by Starbucks in the morning or make coffee at home? Should I remind my kid to take their lunch box to school or allow them to remember on their own? Do I want to wear the red shirt or the green shirt? By the time we get to work, we likely have already made hundreds of decisions.

            If we are in a routine, the amount of mental, emotional and/or physical energy these decisions require is less. If I regularly get up when my alarm goes off and do not press snooze, then making the decision to get up is easier and there is less resistance. Conversely if I often snooze my alarm, it would require much more decision making energy to get up, especially if I needed to get up without snoozing my alarm.

            Decision fatigue is the psychological phenomenon where “the more decisions a person makes over the course of a day, the more physically, mentally and emotionally depleted they become” (Cleveland Clinic). In Holly Whitaker’s Quit Like a Woman, she talks about how quitting a self-destructive behavior, like alcohol use, requires a significant amount of emotional and psychological energy which is one of the reasons it can be so difficult. For example, if your decision-making capacity is depleted throughout the day than it becomes more and more difficult to utilize the remaining energy to not drink. This is also why people are more likely to participate in impulsive spending, binge eating, or substance use toward the end of the day. It requires less energy to go through the McDonald’s drive thru than to go home and cook a healthier dinner.

Decision fatigue happens to all of us. It is more likely to happen in the following circumstances:

• You make a lot of decisions every day. Individuals who have jobs that require a lot of decision making each day such as judges, surgeons, etc. are more at risk.

• If you make decisions that impact other people. If you make high-stakes decisions that impact your family, your employees or even people in your community, decision fatigue can be prevalent.

• You’re in the middle of a crisis or difficult life situation. For example, picking out flowers might not normally be challenging but picking out flowers for a loved one’s funeral can appear to be a monumental task.

• If you are faced with uncertainty, planning is much more difficult. For example, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, people often struggled with decision making due to being uncertain of the future.

• If you identify as a perfectionist, decision making can also be more challenging. If there is a belief that you might make a mistake or not achieve a desired outcome than making a choice can seem impossible.  (Cleveland Clinic)

Some signs and symptoms you might be experiencing decision fatigue are:

·      Exhaustion

·      Feeling overwhelmed

·      Brain Fog

·      Increased participation in self-destructive or unhealthy behavior

·      Impulse buying

·      Making decisions you regret later

·      Decision avoidance (Medical News Today).

A person making attempts to promote behavior change such as budgeting, increasing physical activity, eating healthier and/or eliminating substance use will benefit by managing their decision-making energy. “It can help some people to think of the decision-making ability as a finite source, such as a battery” (Medical News Today). Having a daily routine and structure that is consistent is one of the most powerful and effective ways to do this. If a person has a routine and knows what to expect, then it takes less energy throughout the day to make difficult, unique, or out of the ordinary decisions which require more energy. This will then allow more decision-making energy to resist impulsive urges and use that energy to engage in healthier or more effective behaviors.

Additionally, it is important to not make more than one behavioral change at a time. As a therapist I often see an influx of significant behavioral change attempts beginning January first. People often set many, unattainable New Year’s resolutions to change all their perceived deficits at once which automatically set them up to fail. For example, if your goal is to have a better morning routine which includes getting up earlier, exercising and meditating then starting with one, small, attainable goal will be the most effective. This might look like getting up 10 minutes earlier than your current wake-up time, doing this consistently for two-three weeks so that the decision-making energy it requires begins to reduce and then build on this.

Fortunately, decision fatigue is not chronic. It is something that is temporary and can be treated. If you notice these symptoms are a more ongoing pattern you might be experiencing burnout. Burnout is “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others” (APA). Burnout is generally associated with “work-life balance being out of sync” (Cleveland Clinic). Ways to prevent decision fatigue include:

·      Removing choice from some elements of your life.

·      Delegate (if possible).

·      Prioritize sleep.

·      Exercise.

·      Manage Stress.

·      Make time for self-care.

·      Build downtime in your day.

  ADHD diagnosed individuals might struggle with decision fatigue more often than non-ADHD individuals. This is because ADHD individuals often find that doing things they are not interested in doing requires significantly more energy than it does for non-ADHD individuals. If you are struggling with decision fatigue, regardless of its source, the above interventions can be useful. Note that if you are wanting to implement behavioral change, set yourself up for success by hoarding your decision-making energy and use it to promote the change you are wanting to see versus expending it unnecessarily throughout the day.