Have you heard of decision fatigue in people with adhd?
Decision fatigue can happen to anyone. When I was a teacher, I felt like I had to make a billion decisions each day, so when I got home the idea of choosing what to have for dinner made me want to cry. After a hard day with a bunch of questions, I’d often just cave and order takeout, which was NOT good for my budget. That’s called decision fatigue: when you make a ton of decisions throughout the day, those decisions tend to get worse as time goes on. Some people think of this as deteriorating willpower, but really, you’re just tired! When you work out a muscle, you expect it to be sore later on. It’s exactly the same with your brain. And it’s even worse in people with adhd.
Here are some tips for avoiding decision fatigue for people with adhd.
Make big decisions in the morning
Not everyone is in control of their schedule, but if you can, make big decisions in the morning. I like to schedule work things for the morning so that by the time the afternoon rolls around and I’m exhausted, the choice has already been made for me. This doesn’t mean nothing will come up in the afternoon–in fact, I’m sure it will–but if you’ve got the majority of your big decisions out of the way, you’re less likely to struggle with decision making later on.
Develop routines
Many people with ADHD struggle with routine. Our brains just don’t form habits the way that other people’s do. But it can be even more important for us to try to develop routines because it can help get rid of decision fatigue. Things like eating meal prepped food for breakfast, working out at the same time every day, or cleaning on a specific schedule takes the decision out of it for you. Think about the routines that already exist in your life; I don’t choose to take the recycling to the curb on Tuesday nights, I just do it, because I know pickup is on Wednesday. Likewise, I don’t choose to clean my house every Sunday, I just do it, because that’s my routine.
Delegate when you can to cut back on adhd decision fatigue
Delegating is hard for me, but it’s a genuinely useful skill in the fight against decision fatigue. Learning to trust other people to make decisions can take a lot off your plate. Trust your partner to choose what to have for dinner, expect other people at your job to do their best work, and things will get a lot easier!
Work from a preexisting list
I hate choosing what I want to eat every day, but I also get in very specific food moods. Each Sunday, before I go to the grocery store, I make a list of six meals I can make for dinner and then buy all the ingredients. Then, when I’m done with work, I still have to pick something to eat, but I have healthy and delicious options that don’t require me to go to the store. Having narrowed it down really, really helps!
Likewise, before I go to bed, I pick one article of clothing I want to wear the next day. I don’t enjoy planning my outfits the night before, because I like to feel creative, but it helps if in the morning I know I’m going to wear, say, my purple sweater or my black boots. Then all I have to do is pick out clothes that go well with the piece I’ve already picked. It makes my mornings so much smoother!
Don’t second guess yourself
Here’s another one that’s easier said than done. When you second guess yourself and review decisions you’ve already made, you’re just adding to your mental load and increasing adhd decision fatigue. When you’ve made a choice, accept that you made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time, and then try your best to not revisit it.
Do you struggle with decision fatigue as a person with adhd? Do you have any tips or tricks for overcoming it? Tell us in the comments, and check out our other articles for artists with adhd!
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