Decision Fatigue: The Silent Killer of Productivity For Social Entrepreneurs Who Manage It All
How many decisions have you had to make today before noon? For me, too many!
Decision fatigue is a real thing and after staying at home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I think many of us feel the same way: We just have so many decisions to make.
As we return back to ‘normal life’ and immediately fill our calendars again with things to do and places to see, we may find ourselves more tired than usual. If this is you, you are not alone!
After a year and a half of slowing down, we all have adapted to this new way of life whether we like it or not.
So, what is decision fatigue? Decision fatigue is when we surpass our “decision quota.” We can no longer make decisions with full self control nor are we completely present upon making those decisions. In simpler terms, we lose self control... and no one wants that!
Imagine this: You have been eating healthy all throughout the day. Later in the day, you suddenly slip up and grab that cookie you have been resisting despite knowing that you shouldn’t. Does this sound familiar to you? It is way too familiar for me!
This is decision fatigue.
And unfortunately, it may be more common now than ever before as we transition back to the ‘hustle and bustle’ of everyday life. Our decision quotas are now more limited and many of us don’t realize it.
Thanks, COVID-19.
The book Switch does a great job at highlighting this phenomenon. The authors Dan and Chip Heath explain why it is so hard to make change stick. Ultimately, it boils down to the two sides of our brains that compete for control - the rational side and emotional side.
The rational side wants a toned body while the emotional side just wants that dang cookie. Which side do you think wins most of the time?
The rational side?
Of course not... The cookie wins.
Let me ask you this… How can we build lasting change in our social endeavors and the communities we work with if we are constantly bogged down to the point of losing self control in our decision-making? For me, the answer is simple… we can’t.
So, let’s talk about how we can best prevent decision fatigue, so that we can build a successful social endeavor and life.
If decision fatigue sounds like something you may be struggling with, then this video is for you! In this video, I discuss 5 key strategies to prevent decision fatigue so that you can manage it all and be freed from the hassle that is decision making.
I will mention them here in today's post too.
The number of decisions we can make before overburdening ourselves is limited.
Create a Routine - Plan Your Day:
What should I eat for breakfast? Who will take the kids to school? Will I workout tomorrow and what workout will I do? Are these really the questions we should dwell on as social entrepreneurs who manage it all? NO!
It has been proven that the best time for making important decisions is in the morning, so save the more important decisions for when you are at your strongest and automatize your morning routine or plan out your day the night before.
Put these questions behind you and start your day in the right direction. Save your energy for those bigger decisions that need your attention the most.
Batch Schedule:
Batch!?
Yes, batch.
And no, I’m not talking about cookies again… Unfortunately.
Batch SCHEDULING is exactly what it sounds like: scheduling to complete the same task multiple times within one activity period.
For example, I batch all my smoothie ingredients once every 2 weeks. Instead of thinking about what to put together every morning, I grab the bag, add some milk, and go!
Simple, right?
Try adding batching to your life!
Choosing Your Uniform:
If you already know what ‘choosing your uniform means,’ you may be thinking… Ashlee, don’t even go there... so unconventional and so boring!
But, hear me out!
I wear jeans and a shirt.
If it’s cold, I add a sweater.
I have a few basic pairs of shoes that I couple with my outfit.
And, I wear the same earrings and lipstick.
Everyday.
Does this make me sound crazy?
For me, I have so much more mindspace because I’ve toned down my wardrobe.
Putting together my outfit for the day has become a mindless process.
Many minimalists and successful people ‘choose their uniform’ and wear the same outfit everyday to reduce the number of decisions they have to make throughout their day.
But take my example, it doesn’t have to be that extreme.
If having fun with fashion is an interest of yours, this strategy may not be for you.
But if not, you may want to consider this.
Think through what you are okay looking like everyday and build your uniform from that.
It could be a game changer!
Align Your Schedule With Your Goals:
As opposed to the traditional to-do list, create a schedule that reflects your goals.
Many of us create to-do lists that are filled to the brim with unnecessary tasks and as a result, we are overwhelmed!
And oftentimes, these tasks aren’t truly the tasks we need to complete to reach our goals.
We all have 168 hours in the week and it already doesn’t feel like much when we take into consideration our families, careers, sleep, and basic maintenance tasks… So, how can we get the most out of our week?
By adjusting the way we schedule our tasks.
Here is how:
Take a few minutes to review your goals… whether they’re personal goals, goals for your social impact business, etc.
Block out time during the week to work on those goals
Think through what your most important tasks are that you could accomplish tomorrow to move the needle forward
Fill-in the rest of your time with smaller tasks that are not goal-oriented such as running errands. Complete them after having worked on your goals for the day.
There you have it!
Now, when you look at your calendar, you should know what goal each of your tasks align with.
Aligning your schedule with your goals will allow you to make time for those high-priority tasks.
Sleep:
Is this one not obvious enough?
In order to have the power to make new decisions in the first place, we need sleep!
More specifically, we need quality sleep.
Do you know how many hours of sleep you personally operate best at?
Mine is 7 hours.
No more, no less.
Take some time to figure out what is best for you!
I have a bonus strategy for you all: Utilize resources.
Decision fatigue is inevitable, especially as a social entrepreneur. We all fall victim to it at one point or another during our journey.
You are the leader, the reins are in your hands, and many, if not all, social entrepreneurs know that the path to success is not always clear when building and leading a social impact business.
We make tough decisions 24/7.
So, it is important to have support systems during these difficult times.
Find someone you trust that knows you, your values, and your ultimate goals that can help guide you to the best decision for you, personally.
Who could you call when you are having a tough time making a decision?
Who is that person that knows you well enough?
When I first began my journey of becoming a social entrepreneur, I struggled with decision fatigue big-time.
Starting your social impact business, as beautiful as it is, comes with a huge growing curve. I wish I had someone alongside me to help me through those beginning stages.
Instead, I waited TWO YEARS to start my non-profit, despite already having the idea.
I had no clue where or how to start and I had to make all these new decisions of who to reach out to and where to look for information so that I could try to build a basic foundation.
On top of all this, I became fed up because I couldn’t find any in-depth information online.
Since then, I’ve created two courses for social entrepreneurs who are in that same discovery or starting phase that I was in:
Starting phase: You have that idea, but it’s not completely formed yet
Discovery phase: You have that idea, people are interested in it, and you think you know how you want to accomplish your mission, but need further guidance to flesh out the nitty gritty details
My Unleash your Purpose course will walk you through the process of starting your non-profit in 30 days: building a board, filing for your 501(c)3 exempt status, preparing to fundraise, and setting you up to actually run your business.
The Unleash your Profit course offers a group coaching program where we develop a personalized roadmap together to make your business scalable and profitable.
If you are starting your social endeavor and are overwhelmed, invest in yourself! We can help you move forward, make those tough decisions, and be that starting support system you need.
If you want to check my courses out, click here.
Thank you so much for reading today’s post and I look forward to hearing which strategies you implement in your life and how they change the game for you too.
