Did you know we make up to 35,000 remotely conscious decisions a day?
What is Decision Fatigue
Decision fatigue refers to the phenomenon of decreased decision-making ability and willpower as a result of having to make a large number of decisions or choices over a period of time.
The human brain has limited cognitive resources, and decision-making can be a resource-intensive task, especially when the decisions are complex and require careful consideration. Every decision made requires energy and mental effort, and as the day progresses, the brain becomes fatigued, leading to decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue can also have negative consequences, such as decision avoidance or making impulsive decisions. For instance, if someone has to make many decisions in a day, such as a CEO or a judge, by the end of the day, they may be more likely to avoid making important decisions or make hasty, suboptimal decisions without fully considering all options.
Simplify Your Style Routine
Yes, many successful people choose to wear a uniform or adopt a consistent personal style as a way to simplify their lives and eliminate decision fatigue. By wearing the same outfit or a variation of it every day, they free up mental energy to focus on more important decisions and tasks.
Some highly successful people who wear the same thing every day include:
- Steve Jobs – The late co-founder of Apple was known for wearing his signature black turtleneck, blue jeans, and New Balance sneakers.
- Mark Zuckerberg – The co-founder and CEO of Facebook is often seen in his grey t-shirt, jeans, and hoodie.
- Barack Obama – The former US president is known for wearing a limited wardrobe consisting of only blue or grey suits. Barack has also been known to eat the same thing for lunch everyday.
- Albert Einstein – The famous physicist is said to have owned multiple versions of the same grey suit so that he wouldn’t have to spend time deciding what to wear each day.
- Matilda Kahl – An art director at a New York advertising agency who wears the same outfit every day – a white silk blouse and black pants – to simplify her daily routine and eliminate decision fatigue.
- Vera Wang – A fashion designer is the last person you would expect to wear a uniform but Vera along with a few other designers do in fact have a system around what they wear. Vera has a few staples she wears in a simple combination to create the same sleek uniform style each time. Dark leggings and a t-shirt are the base she works with, using accessories to represent the expressive fashion part when it comes to style. Vera even says herself “In the end, as a fashion professional, or fashion insider, someone who’s looked at fashion for so long, and from so many different angles – there is a uniform that works for you.” She adds “It can be changed, and it can be dressed up, dressed down, explored, taken more street, taken more couture, but in the end, it’s an editing process.”
However, it’s important to note that wearing a uniform doesn’t guarantee success, and there are plenty of successful people who do not wear a uniform. Ultimately, the most important factor in achieving success is not what you wear, but your dedication to your goals and your willingness to work hard and persevere through challenges.
What Else You Can Do
- Prioritise decisions – Identify the most critical decisions you need to make and prioritise them. Focus on making these decisions first, before moving on to less critical ones.
- Automate decisions – Simplify your decision-making process by automating routine decisions. For example, create a meal plan for the week to eliminate the need to decide what to eat every day.
- Take breaks – Take regular breaks throughout the day to give your brain a chance to recharge. This can help you make better decisions and avoid mental exhaustion.
- Limit options – Too many options can be overwhelming and lead to decision fatigue. Limit the number of options you have to choose from whenever possible.
- Delegate decisions – Whenever possible, delegate decision-making to others. This can help reduce your workload and prevent decision fatigue.
- Establish routines – Establishing routines can help reduce the number of decisions you need to make each day. For example, establish a morning routine that you follow every day.
- Practice self-care – Taking care of your physical and mental health can help you maintain the energy and focus needed to make good decisions. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition.
Implement a Uniform or Capsule Wardrobe into Your Work Life
If you’re in charge of a crew of chaos at work and like the sound of the effects of a uniform on the mind, and want to create more cognitive resources in the office I would highly recommend adopting a uniform for your team or refreshing your current uniform. Or if you want to simply for your life for your own personal growth, then I would recommend creating a capsule wardrobe that is similar to a personal uniform style for yourself. Read more about capsule wardrobes here.
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