What Is Decision Fatigue and How Does It Affect You?
Just a few months ago, we would have gone to a brunch with our friends, quickly stopped at the store to buy a gallon of milk, and visited our grandparents, all without a second thought.
Then the coronavirus appeared. Then there were reports of community proliferation as well as no testing available. Then there were concerns about whether the hospital resources would be sufficient for sick patients , as well as the risk to some of our most vulnerable friends and relatives. Then the number of confirmed cases and the number of deaths increased .
Along with all these concerns, questions arose. Is it safe to order food to go ? Do I need to disinfect food ? How long does the virus last on surfaces ? Should you wear a mask ? Is it safe to visit your parents ? Is this an allergy cough or am I getting COVID-19 ?
“It gets harder for us because we have to look for evidence,” says Baruch Fischhoff , professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, who studies why people make the decisions they make. “You’re worried you’re missing something.”
Living in a pandemic means making all kinds of difficult decisions, big and small. Whether it’s the decision to go to the grocery store, order takeout, or visit a sick loved one, the usual actions we used to do without hesitation turned into high-stakes decisions, often without a clear right or wrong answer.
Too many decisions lead to emotional and mental strain
“These are really tough decisions,” says Fischhoff, adding that people shouldn’t feel bad about being fought with. “Feeling unwell adds insult to injury,” he says.
This additional complexity in our decisions leads to decision fatigue, which is the emotional and mental stress that occurs when we are forced to make too many choices . Decision fatigue makes it harder to think about a decision when we are stressed or tired.
“These are difficult decisions because the stakes are often very high and we are required to assimilate unfamiliar information,” says Fischhoff.
But if this all sounds too much, there are actions we can take to reduce decision fatigue. For starters, it’s best to minimize the number of small decisions you make during the day, such as what to eat for dinner or what to wear. The fewer small decisions you have to make, the more bandwidth there will be for the larger one.
In this particular crisis, there are a few more steps you can take to reduce decision fatigue.
Find reliable news sources
There is a lot of misinformation as well as many conspiracy theories that are tiring and confusing. To counteract this additional stress, Fischhoff recommends allocating a certain number of trusted experts.
“The press is absolutely essential,” he says. His recommendation is to identify media outlets that have dedicated reporters and editors who are committed to presenting the facts. He also recommends avoiding the wilder conspiracy theories circulating on social media.
“Your instinct is to try to figure them out, even if you think it’s ridiculous,” he says, adding that by the time you work out the conspiracy theory, “you know less than you did when you started.”
Be careful with yourself
Flashback – 20/20. It’s easy to look back and reconsider your decisions, such as not taking action earlier than you. This is known as hindsight bias, and Fischhoff recommends avoiding it as we all make the best decisions we can, given the limited information and the changing nature of this crisis.
“Don’t question the decisions you make,” says Fischhoff. “Do your best and be careful with yourself.”