Decide Once: Liberate Your Mind from the Load of Choosing
Do you ever get to the end of the day and feel … just dead? As if your brain can’t make one more decision?
That’s decision fatigue. And it’s real.
Each decision we make, the more fatigued we become. Even little ones — the decision about what to eat, what to wear, when to work out — chip away at our mental energy.
But here’s the good news: With one simple trick, you can beat decision fatigue.
Decide once.
Why Making Fewer Decisions Improves Your Life
Now imagine waking up every morning and having to plan everything anew — what to wear, what to eat, what route to take to work. It sounds exhausting, right? That’s because it is.
We believe we desire infinite choice, yet choice paralyzes us.
Which is why some of the most productive people (like Steve Jobs and his black turtlenecks) avoid unnecessary decision-making. They reserve their brain space for what really counts.
Kendra Adachi’s philosophy called The Lazy Genius puts this into a central tenet called “Decide Once.” It is an easy yet impactful way of making life simpler. You make decisions once—and you follow them, rather than make them over and over.
The Decide Once Method — How to Apply It In Your Life
It is sounds simple and indeed it is. But the impact? Huge.
Here’s how you can start:
Set a Grocery Shopping Day (and Stick to It)
Are you heading to the store three or more times a week? Spending time working out when to shop?
Decide once. Pick a shopping day and make it sacrosanct. Every Sunday? Every Wednesday? Whatever works. Once it’s set, no thinking about it anymore.
Bonus: Maintain a shopping list on your phone to always be prepared when shopping day comes.
Have a Go-To Coffee Order
Ever waited in line at a coffee place, looking at the menu, swamped by choices? Save yourself the hassle.
Pick one order. Stick to it. Done.
Need variety? Choose something hot and something cold. But that’s it. Never again second-guessing your caffeine fix.
Build a Weekly Outfit Formula
Mornings are stressful as is. It also doesn’t help that you have to decide what to wear every day.
Decide once. Create an outfit formula:
Monday: Casual
Tuesday: Professional
Wednesday: a pair of black trousers + a fun top
Thursday: Dress day
Friday: Jeans and sneakers
You aren’t forced into wearing the exact same outfit each week (unless you want to!), but a formula can help eliminate the decision fatigue.
Plan Simple Weekly Meals
Sick of the “What’s for dinner?” debate?
Decide once. Assign meal themes:
Monday: Pasta
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Soup or salad
Thursday: Stir-fry
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Breakfast for dinner
You can remix the recipes, but the framework remains the same. No more last-minute panic.
Set Recurring Appointments
Do not spend energy on repetitively scheduling same things. Set it and forget it:
Haircuts? Every 6 weeks.
Oil change? First Saturday of the month.
Date night? Every Friday.
Laundry? Every Sunday afternoon.
If it’s on the calendar, you don’t have to think about it.
Choose a Signature Gift
Gift shopping can be a stressful endeavor. Instead of fretting over each birthday or holiday, pick one go-to gift:
Favorite candle
A gift card to their favorite coffee shop
A great book
When you have a signature gift, you’re never left scrambling.
Automated Bills & Subscriptions
If you continue to pay your bills manually, stop. Automate everything you can.
Decide once. Set it up. Leave the rest to your bank.
Make Set A Default Per response To incitements
So if social plans give you anxiety, come up with a default answer.
If you’re an introvert, perhaps it’s: “Let me check my schedule and get back to you.”
If you love plans but overcommit, try: “I have to think about it. Can I get back to you tomorrow?”
No longer being pressured to answer yes (or no) on the spot.
The Power of Deciding Once
Deciding once sounds small. But these are actually life-changing shifts.
By stripping away needless choices, you free up mental energy. You have more room for creativity, for relationships, for things that truly count.
What might you your Decide Once process look like? Pick a few areas. Try it out. And see your brain — and your life — become lighter.
Less decision fatigue. More freedom. That’s the goal.
Now, go make life easier. You’ve got this.