Decision Fatigue: Do you suffer from it?

I first heard the term “Decision Fatigue,” in church last Sunday.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that pretty much all of us who work with seniors, or are seniors, have it to some extent.

We tire when we make too many decisions.  On average, we make 35,000 decisions a day.  Big ones, little ones. What to wear?  What to eat?  What to buy?  And the list goes on. 

No wonder at the end of the day, we’re fatigued.  When we make too many decisions over a day’s time, we are more apt to go for a candy bar, or make a bigger decision that’s not in our best interest or in the interests of others.

So what’s the cure?

In general:  Stop being the decider of everything.When you can, delegate tasks or stop doing them. according to “The Cure for Decision Fatigue.” From Jim Sollice in The Wall Street Journal.  The Internet can be a real energy drainer.  When you click on the Internet during work time, you’re allowing fatigue to set in.

For adult children:  Use mornings to schedule a talk with the administrator about your parent’s care.  Certainly don’t opt for the end of the day when you are both tired. Late morning is often the best time to discuss important topics with your aging parent.  You haven’t made too many decisions; you are relatively fresh and can give the conversation your best.