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Productivity

One decision to rule them all

One decision to rule them all

By Coaching, Productivity

Daily life, our jobs, our relationships, or hobbies, all require us to make decisions, sometimes hundreds of them every day. And while many are a necessary and sometimes enjoyable part of life, many are simply a drain on our energy.

Decision fatigue is a real phenomenon – simply put it’s the “deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making.”

So what can we do? In the sage words of Peter Drucker, “Don’t make a hundred decisions when one will do.”

There are always patterns in the chaos, ‘master decisions’ we can make to take away the option of the micro.

Dressing like a cartoon character – Einstein wore the same suit every day, Steve Jobs had his famous turtleneck. Choosing to stick to a specific diet, for example being a vegan. Making certain activities non-negotiable, meditation, exercise, brushing your teeth. Having a defined set of principles you’ve thought about deeply, for example, working with certain types of client. All of these take a lot of decisions off the table.

A quick inventory of needless or poor decisions you’re making daily can point to the need for a ‘master decision.’ But think well – unilateral decisions should be something you’re truly aligned to, and where the benefit of simplicity outweighs the pleasure of choosing.