Do you have more clarity earlier in the day when making decisions? Have you ever noticed how by 5pm, even deciding what to make for dinner feels absolutely painful? Blame it on decision fatigue. James Clear offers the following example of decision fatigue in this helpful article.
“Decision fatigue happens every day in your life. If you have a particularly decision-heavy day at work, then you come home feeling drained. You might want to go to the gym and workout, but your brain would rather default to the easy decision: sit on the couch. That’s decision fatigue.
The same thing is true if you find it hard to muster up the willpower to work on your side business at night or to cook a healthy meal for dinner.”
It may seem like most of the decisions we make come from external sources like demands from work, email, and other obligations, but we put a lot of the decision fatigue burden on ourselves. Lack of planning, and loading our lives up with excess clutter, commitments, and craziness increases decision fatigue and simply wears us out.
Create a Decision-Free Closet to Reduce Decision Fatigue
While there are several ways to reduce decision fatigue, I recommend starting by creating a decision-free closet. If you’ve ever tried on more than one outfit getting ready for the day, or stressed over what to wear for a meeting, or event, chances are your closet is adding to decision fatigue because there are too many choices in there.
1. Only include seasonally appropriate clothes.
There is no need to sort through your sweaters to get to your sundresses in summer, or to search for your winter boots in a pile of sandals. Get the stuff you aren’t wearing out of sight so you don’t even have to think about it until you are actually going to wear it.
2. Clean out your closet for good.
Cleaning out your closet season after season, and trying to get organized isn’t working. Instead, try cleaning out your closet for good with this very detailed, fun guide. (Yes it can be fun.)
3. Get inspired by capsule wardrobes.
Search hashtag #project333 on Instagram or click here to follow me and catch awesome round-ups of capsule wardrobe images and posts.
4. Try minimalist fashion challenge Project 333.
If you haven’t done it yet, dressing with 33 items or less for 3 months might sound scary, crazy, and downright impossible, but thousands of people from around the world have tried it and discovered that it reduces decision fatigue, makes for easier mornings, and they’ve learned so much about what they really want and need in their closets and their lives.
See the rules here and try it on your own, or for more connection and accountability, try the Dress with Less microcourse.
5. Eliminate 33 items.
If only dressing with 33 items isn’t something you are ready to consider, try a reverse minimalist fashion challenge, and eliminate 33Â things from your closet.
Simplify your options in the morning with a decision-free closet, reduce decision fatigue, and create more clarity and willpower throughout the day.