Decision Fatigue

Lately, I’ve been connecting with a feeling I’m not super used to: decision fatigue. In my pre-woods life, while of course I experienced stress and overwhelm at times, my mode of operation as an organized-planner type, afforded me the ability to be pretty darn decisive. My systems were well honed, and I thrived on the routine I created for myself. But now that we’ve embarked on this new off-grid living journey, and are invested in slow-growing a rustic mindfulness practice center and wanting to encourage others to join us, the learning curve for what we’re doing is steep. I find myself maxing out regularly when confronted with the plethora of decisions needing to be made, and having such little practical experience and/or knowledge base on how to make them. 

I reckon that many people face the feeling of decision fatigue on a regular basis, even daily. It makes a lot of sense. There can so many decisions one must make in the course of a day! 

Here’s what I’m practicing right now, when it comes to decision fatigue (DF):

• Noticing. The first really important thing when it comes to anything really, is to take notice of what’s really going on. When I can pause and check in with myself when I feel frazzled, it helps me to create space so that I can see things more clearly. Simple recognition that Okay, I’m feeling decision fatigue right now, allows me to shine light on my present moment experience in a way that opens up some wiggle room for me to make a conscious choice about how to proceed, vs operating blindly and frantically.
• Befriending. After noticing, comes befriending. I consider this an advanced level skill to develop, and one that is well worth the effort. It never ceases to amaze me how the act of befriending entirely transforms a situation. Whole-hearted self-befriending is one of the most potent practices I’ve experienced. It’s a game changer. And it takes ongoing, consistent practice. 
• Shifting gears. Knowing when & how to shift energetic gears is crucial when it comes to self-care. Sometimes when I’m in DF overload, I find that what I am most in need of is a gear shift. And maybe that means I need to go and take a nap, or maybe it means I need to invest my time in doing an easy activity that doesn’t require a whole lot of brain power. Or maybe it means I turn on some music, and dance it out. Sometimes the best self-care involves knowing when to shift gears, and then, ya know, actually doing it. 
• Deep breathing. I’m not sure there’s anything I’ve encountered that isn’t beneficially aided by the practice of deep breathing. Breathing from my belly, so that my stomach rises and falls noticeably on my inhale & exhale, and not just from the shallow upper register of my lungs, offers an immediate surge of more easeful energy into my body & mind. I’m not saying it magically whisks away the feeling of DF overload, but it does promote a felt sense of groundedness, which I can gratefully lean into for support.