Ever Heard of Decision Fatigue?

By Emily - Mindful Career Journey

According to Harvard Business Review, the average person makes 35,000 decisions a day—beginning with what to wear, how to tackle work challenges, to the most difficult question of the day……what to cook for dinner?  All joking aside, we make many decisions a day. 

Decision fatigue happens when the volume of choices becomes mentally exhausting, leading to stress, burnout, and even poor decision-making. In high-pressure industries, we navigate complex, high-stakes choices daily, which can be draining.  

One way to combat decision fatigue? Simplification. And a powerful philosophy for that is minimalism.

Now, before you start rolling your eyes and scroll past thinking minimalism means giving up everything you love—stick with me here. Minimalism isn’t about deprivation. It’s about intentionally curating your environment and commitments so you’re surrounded only by what you love, adds value, and brings joy.

When you reduce physical and mental clutter, you organically eliminate unnecessary decisions, resulting in less stress, more energy, and clarity.

I’ve been embracing minimalism over the last couple of years, and the shift has been refreshing—more mental space, less stress, and a greater sense of control.

What’s one area of your life where you could simplify to reduce decision fatigue?