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# 😴 Decision Fatigue is Killing Your Performance - Here's the 15-min Daily Protocol That Fixes It
- URL: https://www.newsletter.secondsummit.co.nz/decision-fatigue-is-killing-your-performance-heres-the-15-min-daily-protocol-that-fixes-it/
- Published: 2025-10-15T06:24:59.000Z
- Updated: 2025-10-15T06:24:59.000Z
- Author: Simon McKenzie-Nickson

100? 500? 1,000?

Try **35,000 decisions** in a single day! 🤯

That's what research tells us about the average person. Even more mind-blowing? Cornell University found we make over **226 FOOD-related decisions** daily (and we're only aware of about 14 of them!).

### The Science Behind Decision Burnout 🔬

Roy Baumeister's research reveals that our cognitive willpower is like a muscle that fatigues with overuse. Scientists call this **'Ego Depletion'** \- and just like a muscle, nutrition and training affect how quickly it tires.

**'Decision Fatigue'** is what happens when that mental muscle gets worn out. Here's the scary part: our decision quality tanks in predictable ways, here’s what the studies say:

✅ **Judicial decisions**: Surgeons make worse operative decisions later in the day (book morning appointments!)

✅ **Shopping behaviour**: Depleted shoppers are "more likely to yield to any kind of temptation, especially candy and soda" (hello, checkout aisle psychology!)

✅ **Risk assessment**: Mental fatigue makes us more risk-averse in strategic situations (this has huge ramifications in business, think twice about late-day board meetings)

✅ **Ethical choices**: Depleted people are more likely to cheat and make morally questionable decisions

✅ **Persistence**: The famous cookie study that gave rise to the Ego Depletion theory showed depleted participants gave up 40% faster on challenging tasks

### Your Calendar: Decision Fatigue's Kryptonite 📅

The solution? **Reduce the decisions your brain has to wrestle with** so you can save your mental energy for what truly matters.

**Make your calendar your superpower:**

🎯 **Schedule EVERYTHING** \- gym sessions, school pick-ups, email processing blocks (stop checking ad-hoc!)

🎯 **Be insanely specific** \- add detailed notes with clear goals for each block (clarity triggers flow, if you missed my flow triggers edition, catch it [here](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-scattered-unstoppable-engineering-your-flow-simon-dau4f?ref=newsletter.secondsummit.co.nz))

🎯 **Align to bigger goals** \- eliminate mental chatter about whether you're doing the right thing

Spend **15 minutes** planning the night before or during your morning routine. This maintains motivation, reduces decision fatigue, prevents goal displacement, and creates order from chaos.

💡 **Pro-tip**: The science has also shown that blood glucose levels directly correlate with decision quality. Keep some nuts or fruit handy before important meetings - your brain will thank you! 🥜🍎