Leadership Burnout Via Decision Fatigue ‒ 5 Ways To Combat
Updated: Sep 6, 2022
Written by: Dr. Erin R. Wheeler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Sometimes the simple question of "what to eat?" can send someone over the edge. This is an example of Decision Fatigue, the overwhelming mental exhaustion that comes from constant decision-making. Adults typically make an estimated 35,000 decisions per day. Each day, leaders make hundreds of decisions that affect others and may have a long-lasting impact. With these odds, even the greatest of leaders are certain to make dubious decisions. The mental and emotional burden that comes with constant high-impact decision-making can accelerate leadership burnout. Considering the negative consequences of decision fatigue and its contribution to burnout, leaders must adopt effective practices to conserve and invest mental resources for the most critical choices.
What is decision fatigue?
According to research, decision fatigue is "the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual when the number of decisions to made increases". Decision fatigue leads to biased decisions, increased regret, impaired executive function, and decreased belief in the ability to make quality decisions. Someone experiencing this condition exhibits procrastination, avoidant behaviors, and impulsivity. Individuals have a limited amount of available mental energy needed to exude self-control, logic, and reasoning needed to make quality choices. Once that energy is depleted from initial decisions, subsequent decisions are in jeopardy until mental resources are restored. Making decisions is unavoidable. Therefore, leaders must find ways to reduce decisions and consistently replenish mental stores to make the right decisions continually.
Here are five ways to combat decision fatigue:
1. Reduce options.
Having to wade through many options can be cognitively taxing. And, each option brings on a new set of questions and minor decisions. For example, the task of choosing meals for the week requires one to consider prices, recipes, and diet requirements. Standardizing or automating choices for routine tasks can help reduce decision fatigue by lessening the cognitive load, reducing the number of choices, and decreasing the energy used in weighing options. Consider meal prepping, meal delivery, or simplifying your wardrobe. Establishing routines around basic key activities can also help conserve the cognitive energy needed for more critical decisions.
2. Rely on your MVP.
MVP in this case means mission, values, and priorities. Your MVP serves your north star. When you are lost in mountains of information and a sea of choices, you can always count on your MVP to guide you in the right direction. When there is a balance of the pros and cons among all choices, your MVP can tip the balance and reduce options. In defending your decision as a leader, applying and articulating the company's MVP can add objectivity to the sometimes abstract ethical and moral dilemmas companies face.
3. Rest on all fronts.
Rest is more than getting sleep at night. In fact, according to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s theory of rest, there are seven types of rest: physical, mental, social, spiritual, emotional, creative, and sensory. The impact of making decisions is not just relegated to the mind. The burden and stress of continual decision-making affect total well-being. A well-rested person has optimal cognitive energy levels necessary to withstand consistent decision-making.
4. Empower others to choose.
The quickest way to leadership burnout is to take on the burden of making even the tiniest and most non-essential choices. It may be necessary to choose the budget for the team retreat, but it is not important to choose the menu. Even on the most critical decisions, weighing choices collaboratively can reduce stress and avoid biased thinking.
5. Group similar tasks.
The process of making a financial choice and making a creative choice is totally different. Switching back and forth between contrasting tasks takes a cognitive toll which accelerates energy depletion and decision fatigue. Organize your day into work blocks dedicated to similar duties so that there is less mental energy expended.
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Dr. Erin R. Wheeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Erin Wheeler is a bestselling author, nationally respected success and leadership coach, and higher education expert. As a cognitive psychology expert, she has over a decade of experience in brain development, organizational development, emotional intelligence, learning, and personal growth. She has used her expertise to improve college completion rates, build successful teams, and develop a new generation of leaders. As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, she infuses personalized advice with researched-back strategies that help professionals identify their talents to maximize performance in every area of life.
