5 ms·
"Each decision makes us less creative, less in control and less focused." Sounds hip but it's also ridiculous. Each morning I select a necktie from an array of
by massysett 10y ago
"Each decision makes us less creative, less in control and less focused."
Sounds hip but it's also ridiculous. Each morning I select a necktie from an array of choices. That's not making me less "focused" later on.
So Obama and Zuckerburg don't want to decide what to wear because they don't like making that decision. That's understandable and fine. But it doesn't mean that someone who does make that decision every day (because he actually likes to) has somehow depleted his limited reservoir of decision-making ability.
- beefield 10y agoGiven how well accepted fact decision fatigue is, I would like to have a source for the claim that it does not apply to certain kind of decisions.
- adamors 10y agoWell accepted by whom?
- beefield 10y agoSorry, "well accepted fact" was probably too strong wording. "Well known" might have been more appropriate. Wikipedia has some sources[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_fatigue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_fatigue
- whiddershins 10y agoI can't cite the article but I am under the impression that attempts to replicate the decision fatigue study have failed.
- ghaff 10y agoThere are different levels of decision making. It's one thing to have analysis paralysis and spend an hour pondering some trivial decision. It's another thing to spend 30 seconds grabbing clothes to wear out of a closet or drawer--which is how I suspect most men at least get dressed on the average morning even if they don't wear the same thing every day.
- wccrawford 10y agoI agree. I think there are choices that wear me down and take away from other, more important choices... But picking my shirt in the morning isn't one of them. That said, I do wear the same pants and shoes daily, so it's really just the shirt that I'm picking. If I had to pick a whole outfit, I think it'd become a burden pretty quickly. I've kept the decision manageable and fun, without coming off as a weirdo to my coworkers.
- k__ 10y agoI also have the feeling, if I'm styled up and wear stuff I like, I feel more creative, because I'm not so self-conscious anymore. But I could imagine, if I was as rich as obama or zuckerberg, I could hire someone who learns what I like and make food and clothing choices for me. So I could preventing "spending" creativity AND feel comfy.
- jimbokun 10y agoI think it comes down to whether or not picking out clothes makes you happier or not. Similar debate with Soylent. I think a lot of us are just dumbfounded that picking out and eating tasty food is one of the things some people want to give up to have more time and emotional energy for other things. For me, getting to go outside and pick between one of several decent places to eat is one of the things that adds a little bit of happiness to my day, and being pressured to give that up so I can stay at work longer and give even more of my emotional and mental energy to my employer than I do already, seems just mean, small minded and short sighted. Probably not a coincidence the examples from the articles are all people who have a lot of autonomy and authority in their work life.