When it comes to executive leadership, being able to make strategic decisions is paramount. However, decision fatigue can severely undermine an executive's effectiveness. In this post we'll explore the nature of decision fatigue, its symptoms, strategies to combat it, and how executive well-being coaching can give executives the resources to mitigate it.
What is Decision Fatigue?
Decision fatigue describes the decline in the quality of decisions after making numerous decisions over a period of time. It can affect anyone but can be prevelant in executives due to the constant high-stakes decisions they are required to make. Decision fatigue can lead to rushed, poor, or avoided choices that can significantly impact both personal well-being and organizational outcomes[1].
Symptoms and Consequences
Executives experiencing decision fatigue may notice a decrease in will power and energy, leading to procrastination, impulsivity, or avoidance of decision-making[2][3]. Feelings of brain fog, anxiety around the chioce, or persistent flip-flopping (a form of procrastination) are other ways decision fatigue can present itself. This not only affects individual performance but can pose significant organizational risks, such as poor strategic business decisions and/or lost opportunities.
A study of a major bank issuing 501 credit loan applications found that if all approval decisions had been made during early morning work hours it would have resulted in over $500,000 in extra revenue for the bank, for one month.[4]
Strategies to Combat Decision Fatigue
Executives can employ several strategies to effectively manage decision fatigue:
Make Big, Complex, or High-Risk Decisions in the Morning: Address the most important decisions first. Mental clarity is at its peak in the morning.
Rely on, or Establish, Routines: Routines, a series of habits linked together, are your brains version of autopilot. Routines remove the question of "what to do" and allow you to simply act meaning you exert less decision-making energy.
Remove Distractions and "Shiny Objects": Put on 'Do Not Disturb', avoid social media, and hold back from running down that new/fun/interesting thing or idea. It can feel relaxing to doom scroll or investigate a new idea; but those activities actually zap your brain of much needed decision-making power.
Snack!: Seriously, when you're hungry, your stomach produces a hormone called ghrelin, which increases your appetite and decreases your impulse control. Need to make a big decision? Grab a healthy snack, maybe take a quick walk outside, then sit down to make the decision.
Carve Out Time for Self-Care: It's called decision fatigue which means we need time to rest and recover from it. Set aside 10-minute breaks between tasks throughout the day, get enough sleep at night, eat healthy, and watch your alcohol intake. Your body and brain will thank you!
The Imact of Executive Well-Being Coaching
Engaging in executive well-being coaching is a proactive strategy to enhance leadership effectiveness and maintain high professional standards in demanding environments. Executive well-being coaching directly addresses decision fatigue by developing personalized strategies that enhance decision-making clarity and efficiency.
This specialized coaching focuses on:
Strategic Decision Planning: Exploring with executives when to best schedule critical decision-making tasks during peak mental clarity periods.
Energy Conservation Techniques: Introducing practices like mindfulness to manage mental energy, ensuring sustained focus and reduced stress.
Simplified Decision Frameworks: Creating routines for regular choices to conserve cognitive resources for strategic thinking.
Engaging with a well-being coach can lead to safeguarding one's decision-making capabilities and nurturing a fulfilling, balanced professional life. By addressing decision fatigue directly, executives can not only enhance their effectiveness but also lead their organizations to greater heights of success.
Conclusion
In this post we've explored the critical issue of decision fatigue, which significantly impacts executive effectiveness through diminished decision-making quality. You now know the symptoms that executives should watch for and some practical strategies to combat decision fatigue.
To discover how executive well-being coaching can specifically benefit you and your organization, we invite you to schedule a coaching chemistry call with us. We'll work with you to build a custom coaching plan that aligns with your unique challenges and goals. Now, go grab a snack and decide what to tackle next!
References
Hirsch, Arlene S. "Decision Fatigue: What It Is and How to Avoid It." Washington State University Online MBA. https://onlinemba.wsu.edu/mba/resources/decision-fatigue
Nortje, Alicia, Ph.D. "9 Ways to Prevent or Overcome Decision Fatigue." Develop Good Habits. https://www.developgoodhabits.com/decision-fatigue/
Cheng-Tozun, Dorcas. "Why Do We Make Worse Decisions at the End of the Day?" The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/decision-fatigue
Baer, Drake. "Quantifying the cost of decision fatigue: suboptimal risk decisions in finance." Royal Society Open Science. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.201059
Fallon-O'Leary, Danielle. "Understanding Decision Fatigue." Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/decision-fatigue
Forstadt, Andrea. "Extraneous factors in judicial decisions." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1018033108