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June 4, 2025 5 mins

ver find yourself overwhelmed after a long day of decisions—big or small—and notice your ability to make smart choices deteriorating as the day goes on? You're not imagining things. Decision fatigue is very real, scientifically proven, and significantly impacts your daily life.

Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made after an extended period of decision-making. Simply put, the more choices you make throughout the day, the worse your decision-making ability becomes. Why does this happen?

The answer lies in the limited cognitive resources your brain has. Each decision you make, even seemingly trivial ones, drains a finite store of mental energy. Early in the day, when your mental energy tank is full, you make choices efficiently and thoughtfully. But as your mental reserves deplete, your decisions become increasingly impulsive, irrational, or avoidance-based.

 

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