Your brain on indecision: how being wishy-washy is wasting your mental energy

The article argues that indecision is not only about the choices themselves. Too many decisions, small and large, can make every choice feel harder. Worry also pushes people toward avoidance, while mindfulness helps keep attention on one decision at a time.

The author says practical habits can reduce the load on mental energy. She describes using a meal plan, a grocery list, a daily uniform, and the same drink at the coffee shop so she can save attention for choices that matter more.

Reading notes

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• Small decisions can feel as draining as major ones when decision making has already been overused.
• Multitasking is presented as something that weakens performance, including the ability to decide well.
• Worry about choices or their outcomes can lead to avoidance.
• Mindfulness or meditation is described as a way to focus on one thing at a time and make decisions one at a time.
• Restating a judgment in a less judgmental way can keep a person from getting stuck in the decision-making process.
• The author uses meal planning, a grocery list, a daily uniform, and a repeated coffee order to reduce minor decisions and save mental energy.