Drowning In Decisions

Drowning In Decisions

Decision fatigue is the idea that you have a finite amount of mental energy, and each decision you make throughout the day draws on that energy, potentially impacting decisions quality over time. Some sources estimate that the average adult makes thousands of decisions each day (Harvard Business Review). From the moment we wake up, we are bombarded with decisions - from what to wear and what to eat to whether to respond to a text or open a notification. As the day goes on and our mental energy wanes we are more likely to procrastinate, make impulsive decisions, avoid decisions, or become unable to make them at all (American Medical Association).

This week, we want to explore the impact of technology on decision-making, the mental and emotional impacts of decision fatigue, and what tools we have at our disposal to fight it.

How Has Making Decisions Evolved?

Decision making has radically changed over time, and technology has played a meaningful role. Technology has 1) forced individuals to make more decisions every day and 2) reduced their motivation to make hard decisions.

1) More Decisions: An increase in daily decisions has seeped into nearly every aspect of life. According to the Food Marketing Institute, between 1975 and 2008, the number of products in the average supermarket swelled from an average of 8,948 to almost 47,000 (Consumer Reports). Technology has exacerbated this trend, with some research suggesting that the average US smartphone user receives 46 daily push notifications. Each of these is a decision - to open or not to open (Business of Apps). But the problem is not confined to our personal lives. The average full-time professional spends 28% of their time reading and answering ~120 emails every day (Harvard Business Review).

This alone is enough to draw on our finite mental resources, but this problem is exacerbated by the concepts of multitasking, the paradox of choice, and System 1 and 2 thinking:

• Multitasking: Constantly jumping between tasks, from our work to text messages, emails, and app notifications, has become the norm. Today, knowledge workers use an average of 11 applications daily, up from just six in 2019 (Computerworld). The process of shifting back and forth between different tasks and applications can cost up to 40% of an individual's productive time, depending on the task (American Psychological Association). Moreover, multitasking has been shown to increase symptoms of anxiety and depression (National Library of Medicine).
• Paradox of Choice: The more options we are given, the harder it becomes to actually make a choice. Barry Schwartz calls this the "Paradox of Choice", and it plays out constantly in digital environments. Faced with too many options, either on a digital marketplace or news feed, we delay or avoid choosing what to buy or what article to read, potentially leading to increased stress and dissatisfaction (The Paradox of Choice).
• System 1 and 2 Thinking: In psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s theory of decision making, he puts forward the concept of two systems of thinking. System 1 thinking is fast, automatic, and emotional. System 2 thinking is slow, effortful, and logical. Cognitive resources are limited, especially those of System 2. When these resources are depleted, due to continued decision-making, people tend to rely more on System 1 thinking, which leads to less rational and more impulsive choices.

These factors compound the negative effects of the large number of decisions that we are required to make.

2) Reduced Willingness to Make Hard Decisions: Technology’s addictive qualities indirectly reduce our motivation to make hard decisions. Dr. Anna Lembke, a Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic says that when we do something that is "pleasurable or reinforcing” we temporarily increase dopamine above base levels. The brain responds to this increase by decreasing dopamine transmission (i.e. how effectively it can be transmitted to other neurons), not just back down to its natural baseline rate, but below that baseline. These pleasurable or reinforcing activities can come in many forms including game mechanics or social media interactions. We also know that dopamine plays a major role in motivation and willingness to make hard decisions (National Institute of Health). Therefore, perpetual use of technology could reduce our baseline motivation, potentially undermining our ability to engage with effortful tasks.

Technology has not only inundated us with decisions which slowly eat away at our cognitive capacity throughout the day, but has also indirectly impacted our mental health and willingness to make hard decisions. This is not to say that all technology is a problem. Obviously technology has improved our ability to make decisions in numerous ways, but we do believe that negative impacts of technology on decision making can be mitigated.

How Can We Make Fewer Decisions?

Less decision making can take many forms and is obviously dependent on the decision at hand, but here are a few themes we are seeing that could help:

• Reduced Screen Time: One of the easiest ways to reduce the number of decisions you make is to reduce screen time. Not only does reducing the number of apps you switch between help to reduce the number of decisions you make, but it reduces the likelihood of multitasking which puts an additional burden on your brain. We have seen productivity apps attempting to reduce screen time in multiple ways from one sec, who forces you to take a breath before scrolling, to Clearspace who is attempting to gamify the processes and use social pressure to keep you screen free.
• Content Curation: The amount of content that is available to consumers is greater than ever. Choosing which book to buy, which game to play, which newsletter to read, or which TV shows to watch can be exhausting. Tools like Blinkist have attempted to solve this problem by simplifying content, while other sites attempt to provide you with a curated list of content or news to help reduce the search effort. We believe that both of these strategies will be further aided by AI. As AI continues to gain context into your life and interests, curation will become the norm in terms of helping you find and simplifying content to your needs.
• Trusted Sources: Given the breadth of available information, choosing what to consider and which sources to trust can be extremely time-consuming and decision-intensive. While there is no replacement for first-principles thinking, finding credible sources of information can save you a lot of time and mental energy. A Reddit report suggests that its recent growth is largely attributable to people turning to Reddit for answers, advice, and reviews that they can trust. Three in four Redditors say they can have genuine discussions about mobile apps. This appeal to community is also evident in gaming, where word of mouth, another form of community knowledge, is often the most powerful growth lever. With so many games to sort through, asking your friends, who know your preferences, about what they are playing tends to be the easiest way to cut through the noise.

Takeaway: As technology continues to expand our choices and fragment our attention, the burden of decision fatigue continues to grow. From endless notifications to the pressure of navigating infinite digital content, we are not only making more decisions than ever before, we are also less motivated to make the ones that matter. This erosion of cognitive stamina has real consequences for our mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. But by being intentional about reducing screen time, and utilizing tools to help streamline decisions, there is still hope that we can reclaim some of that mental energy. We are excited about companies who are attempting to solve this problem.