WHY OUR BRAIN TAPS OUT? UNDERSTANDING DECISION FATIGUE

We’re talking about decision fatigue today. Why does our brain tap out? Isn’t it supposed to be the most powerful and complex structure in the universe?

So why, then, does it run out of steam?

Watch the video or keep on reading for more.

Imagine your brain like a smartphone battery. Every single time you make a decision—even small ones—it drains a little bit of your mental energy. By the end of the day, your brain is empty. Just like a muscle, your brain gets tired after use, and it needs to refuel.

Each time you weigh a decision—this or that—your prefrontal cortex (your brain’s decision-making headquarters) works hard to analyze the pros and cons. But here's the catch: your brain runs on a limited amount of fuel—mainly glucose and oxygen. The more decisions you make, the more fuel you burn, and the slower and less effective your brain becomes.

The Slippery Slope of Mental Overload

So, what happens when your brain is tired? Instead of making wise, intentional choices, you end up taking the path of least resistance. You choose the easiest thing, not necessarily the best thing. Or worse—you don't make a decision at all. You procrastinate, avoid, and shut down.

It’s not always the decisions themselves that drain you. Sometimes, it’s the mental clutter around you—your environment, your to-do list, or even emotional control—that adds to your cognitive load.

Take this example: trying not to eat a cookie requires effort. So does biting your tongue in a meeting when someone rubs you the wrong way. You're not making a traditional decision, but you're still using energy to control impulses, and that draws from the same fuel tank.

Even background noise or distractions at home—like having your kids around during the summer—can add to the mental strain. All of this depletes your ability to make thoughtful decisions.

Three Tools to Combat Decision Fatigue

So, what can you do about it? Here are three practical strategies:

1. Automate the Small Stuff

Reduce the number of decisions you make each day by creating routines.
For example:

Always wear the same type of outfit for work (like Steve Job). I have a “stage-uniform” for my speaking engagements. I have to memorize entire presentations and concepts so I don’t have room in my brain for: “What should I wear?”
Eat the same breakfast or pack the same lunch every day.
Stick to your favorite brand of toothpaste instead of switching constantly.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a big or small decision—they all consume energy. The more you can automate and standardize, the more brainpower you preserve for the decisions that really matter.

2. Make Key Decisions When Your Brain is Fresh

Think about your daily rhythm. When is your mental fuel tank full?

For some, it’s first thing in the morning.
For others, it’s after their first coffee or following a break.

Choose your highest-energy time to make your most important decisions. Don’t waste your best brainpower responding emails from other people that want something from you. Save that energy for strategic choices and do what matters to you. Then when you are ‘less fresh’ you can do simple emails.

3. Limit Your Options

Too many choices = too much brain drain.
Try this instead: narrow it down to just two options.

Don’t ask, “What should I eat tonight?”
Ask, “Should I eat this or that?”
If you're leading a team, ask them to present two clear options instead of ten. Get them to narrow down the choices for you and do a pre-triage.

When you reduce the number of possibilities, decisions become faster, easier, and less stressful.

Hopefully this gives you some clarity on what’s really going on in your brain when you feel mentally tapped out. Decision fatigue is real—but it doesn’t have to make you feel like you need to get under your desk and tap out.

Remember: