Decisions, decisions, decisions… are you stuck between this or that? There are times when it seems we have so many choices that we develop paralysis by analysis. The average adult makes 35,000 decisions a day, some are basic in nature, yogurt or a banana, others are life changing, relocate or find a new job. Unfortunately, the more decisions we make can actually make it harder for your brain to decide!
Scientists have determined we may suffer from “decision fatigue”. When fatigued the brain looks for shortcuts, and who doesn’t love a good shortcut? Your shortcut decision can appear as spur of the moment, like a shopping spree, or simply avoidance, do nothing at all. Decision making is part of life and technology is enabling our decision making tasks to multiply. We can take work with us where ever we go, as well as hundreds of our friends and the chance to like or not like their activities. Unfortunately, all of these decisions impact our self-control and activate our standard operating mode. In other words, we make a decision, but aren’t truly aware of the consequences.
With 35,000 decisions, how can we live our best life? Here are five quick fire suggestions to help decrease “decision fatigue”:
- Don’t wait until late in the day to make choices that could have a significant impact on your life.
- Outline a basic schedule for your day. Schedule regular appointments and time for tasks like answering emails.
- Limit your time on social media and electronic devices that let you bounce from one thought to another.
- Walk away and give your brain a break from the decision making process. Switching from the left side of the brain to the right can allow for better decisions when you go back to the decision at hand.
- Sleep and food always play a role in our brain performance. We don’t like to acknowledge the consequences of poor eating and sleeping habits but they impact our lives significantly.
The suggestions above can help in “decision fatigue,” but when you need clarity or simply want more from life you can’t go wrong with a good life coach. Whether you are struggling with life issues, facing a road block in the next big step, want a greater level of happiness with less stress, or seeking to live your best life possible, working with a life coach is an easy decision.
A skilled coach will work with you through a process of questions identifying your values and goals as well as the assumptions, interpretation and limiting beliefs that hold you back so you can move forward, making decisions that benefit you. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us.