Decision fatigue: what it is and what it means

Decision fatigue is the phenomenon in which the repetition of decisions over the course of the day progressively lowers the quality of later choices. The mechanism is triggered by the accumulation of decisions over time: the cognitive resources available for weighing options run out, leading to choices that are more impulsive, more defensive or more avoidant than the ones you would make at the start of the day with your resources intact.

Distinctive: repetition of decisions over the course of the day
Distinctive: cognitive resources available for weighing options run out
Essential: progressively lowers the quality of later choices
Essential: accumulation of decisions over time
Constant: more impulsive
Constant: than the ones you would make at the start of the day

Glossary

Decision fatigue

A phenomenon in which making decision after decision over the day progressively lowers the quality of later choices, draining the cognitive resources available for weighing options.