Making decisions all day and every day is a lot of work, and it can be quite exhausting. It comes as no surprise then, that a lot of successful people who have to make a large number of important decisions, do everything they can to cut back on their choices whenever and wherever they can. The key is to use routines and habits to get things done without having to be actively involved in the decision making process.
Every morning, my wife and I get up at 4.40am for a walk or a run. Every evening before we go to bed, we organise our clothes for our exercise. One less decision to make in the morning, especially when it’s cold and dark.
Making it Work
Let me give you an example. You have to get dressed for work every day. That can involve quite a few different decisions on your part, from how warm your clothes need to be, to what particular top and pants you should wear. Then there are shoes, accessories, etc. The list goes on and on. However, if you want to cut all those little decisions out invent a “uniform” for yourself. For example, in the case of Steve Jobs that involved putting on a black turtleneck and jeans. For Mark Zuckerberg, it’s a grey t-shirt and a favorite hoodie. They owned multiple tops and bottoms in the same style and wore them day in and day out.
You don’t have to go this extreme, but you can simplify your wardrobe. Find a few outfits you like and rotate through them. Or create a small capsule wardrobe where everything goes with everything else. Make it work for you and turn getting dressed into a routine that doesn’t involve any decision making or willpower on your part.
Making decisions consumes energy. The more process we can automate within ourselves, the more energy we can save for important tasks and our priorities
Opportunities
As you go about your day, you should start to look for other opportunities to cut decisions from your life. Come up with a rotating meal plan, or always go for the offering of the day at any restaurant you visit. Create a routine of regular tasks for the first few hours of the morning, or right after lunch, leaving room for decision-making tasks during the rest of the day. It depends on what works best for you.
Personally, I use the time when I am freshest to prioritise or to be creative. I know these tasks take energy and I want to be making my most important decisions when I am freshest. Being creative is important in my life, whether it’s writing, speaking
By now you may be wondering why it is so important to cut decisions out in the first place. Yes, it’s mentally exhausting, but there’s another important reason why this is something you should try. There’s something called decision fatigue. We operate on a set number of daily decisions we can make. Once they are used up, we are no longer able to make choices, or at least able to make good ones. By cutting out decisions throughout the day, you ensure that you have plenty of decision-making abilities left for when it counts.
If you want to deliver better decision making processes in your life, then our Making Confident Decisions in the Coach Curl Academy will be just the thing. It’s one of over 70 programs and courses available to our gold members. It’s also available at Silver Mindset Membership level. Remember each membership level provides you the chance to pay just $1 for the first 30 days and you can cancel at any time. No risk, personal growth.
