You Make 35,000 Decisions a Day: Here’s How to Stop Feeling Exhausted

Aug 1

The Weight of So Many Decisions

You wake up and immediately start making choices. Should you snooze your alarm or get up? What should you wear? What should you eat for breakfast? Should you check emails before work?

From the moment you open your eyes, you’re bombarded with decisions. Some are small and routine, while others require deeper thought. But the problem is, every decision you make consumes mental energy, whether it’s choosing what to eat or how to respond to a difficult email.

The result? Decision fatigue.

Research suggests we make up to 35,000 decisions a day, and by the time we reach the evening, our brains are exhausted from the sheer volume of choices. This exhaustion makes us more likely to:

❌ Procrastinate on big decisions.
❌ Default to unhealthy habits (fast food, doom-scrolling, binge-watching).
❌ Snap at loved ones because we’re mentally drained.
❌ Feel paralyzed when faced with important life choices.

But the good news? You don’t have to live like this.

We’ll break down the science behind decision fatigue, how to recognize it in your daily life, and, most importantly, practical ways to reduce mental overload so you can free up energy for what truly matters.

Signs You’re Experiencing Decision Fatigue

❓ Do you feel mentally exhausted even when you haven’t done physical labor?

❓ Do you procrastinate on big decisions because they feel overwhelming?

❓ Do you default to easy but unhelpful habits (fast food, scrolling, binge-watching)?

❓ Do you regret choices made later in the day (impulse spending, skipping workouts, snappy replies)?

If any of these sound familiar, you’re might be dealing with decision fatigue, and it’s time to start making your life simpler.

The Neuroscience of Decision Fatigue

How Many Decisions Do We Really Make?

Studies suggest the average adult makes around 35,000 decisions per day. Even seemingly simple choices, like what to eat, add up. In fact, research from Cornell University found that we make over 226 food-related decisions daily without even realizing it.

Every choice requires cognitive effort, and the more decisions we make, the more our mental resources become depleted, making later decisions harder and more impulsive.

🔹 Prefrontal Cortex – This is the part of your brain responsible for rational thinking, problem-solving, and impulse control. As it gets overloaded, your ability to make thoughtful decisions weakens.

🔹 Amygdala Activation – When the brain is exhausted from too many decisions, the emotional center takes over—leading to increased stress, frustration, and reactivity.

🔹 Cognitive Overload & Impulsivity – A fatigued brain starts defaulting to the easiest choice (even if it’s not the best one). That’s why you might grab fast food after a long workday instead of cooking a healthy meal—your brain just doesn’t have the energy to make another decision.

💡 Judges have been shown to grant fewer paroles later in the day because they experience decision fatigue, leading to harsher rulings.

How to Reduce Decision Fatigue & Free Up Mental Energy

1. Create Systems That Minimize Trivial Decisions

🔹 Automate Low-Value Decisions – Reduce the number of small, repetitive choices so you can focus on what truly matters.

✅ Plan your meals for the week instead of deciding daily.
✅ Lay out your clothes the night before.
✅ Set bills to autopay so you don’t have to think about them.

🔹 Establish Daily Routines – Habits remove the need for decision-making.

✅ Morning routine: Wake-up, breakfast, workout: no overthinking.
✅ Work routine: Block out time for deep work, emails, and meetings in advance.
✅ Evening wind-down: Keep a consistent relaxation routine at bedtime.

🔹 Use Defaults to Your Advantage – Make the easiest choice the best choice.

✅ Keep healthy snacks within reach instead of junk food.
✅ Set your workspace up for focus (phone on silent, no distractions).

2. Reduce Mental Clutter & Information Overload

🔹 Limit Your Daily Decisions

✅ Stick to a few staple meals, outfits, and routines instead of overthinking variety.
✅ Instead of researching endlessly, pick 3 solid options and choose one.

🔹 Use Decision-Making Frameworks

✅ Set personal rules: “I don’t check emails before 10 AM” or “I only buy books I plan to read this month.”
✅ Try the 10-10-10 Rule: How will this decision affect me in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years?

🔹 Declutter Your Environment

✅ Organize your home and workspace to reduce distractions.
✅ Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails and social media clutter.

3. Prioritize High-Impact Decisions & Protect Your Mental Energy

🔹 Batch Similar Decisions Together

✅ Do weekly meal prep instead of deciding what to cook every night.
✅ Handle emails and messages at set times instead of all day long.

🔹 Make Big Decisions in the Morning

✅ Your brain is freshest early in the day. Use this time for financial, career, or life planning/choices.
✅ Avoid making big purchases or commitments when stressed or exhausted.

🔹 Embrace “Good Enough” Thinking Rather Than Perfectionism

✅ Some decisions don’t need to be perfect, they just need to be made.
✅ Example: Choosing a restaurant quickly instead of analyzing reviews for hours.

Setting Yourself Up for Success Daily

1. Start the Day with a Clear Plan

✅ Write down 3 priority tasks instead of reacting to everything.
✅ Make important choices early in the day when mental energy is highest.

2. Reduce Stress & Overthinking

✅ Practice mindfulness to recognize when you’re overanalyzing.
✅ Take breaks (walks, deep breathing, meditation) to refresh your mind.

3. Delegate & Outsource When Possible

✅ Stop wasting mental energy on tasks others can handle.
✅ Delegate repetitive work tasks, order groceries online, and simplify household responsibilities.

Reclaim Your Mental Energy by Simplifying Your Life

Decision fatigue is stealing your energy, but you can take control by reducing unnecessary choices, setting up systems, and focusing on what truly matters.

Take Action Today

✅ Identify one area of your life where decisions drain your energy the most.
✅ Choose one strategy from this guide to implement this week.
✅ Let us know in the comments, which decision-making habit are you ready to change?

Your brain deserves a break. Simplify, automate, and focus on what really counts. 🚀

REFERENCES

angela pierce