The holiday season brings joy and an avalanche of decisions—what to eat, what to wear, where to go, what presents to give, and how to navigate family dynamics. Decision-making can feel overwhelming, especially as a parent juggling countless choices. That’s where decision fatigue comes in—a mental drain caused by the sheer volume of decisions we face daily. The good news? There are strategies to lighten your mental load, so you can save your energy for the choices that truly matter.
Recognizing Easy vs. Hard Decisions
Not all decisions are created equal. Easy decisions, like what to cook for dinner or which holiday pajamas to order, often have little long-term impact. Yet, these small decisions can sap your energy just as much as big ones. Hard decisions—like how to balance family traditions with personal needs or managing childcare over winter break—require deeper thought and can shape your family’s experience for years to come.
By identifying which category a decision falls into, you can prioritize your mental energy. Ask yourself: Will this matter a year from now? If the answer is no, consider outsourcing or simplifying the choice. Plan meals or outfits in advance, delegate minor decisions to others, or even flip a coin for non-critical choices.
Strategies to Protect Your Energy
For tougher decisions, you can try carving out time when your mind is at its sharpest. You can schedule dedicated decision-making moments prevents big choices from lingering in your mind all day. And when it comes to inevitable missteps, show yourself compassion. Remember, every choice you’ve made has been with the best intentions, even if hindsight reveals a clearer path.
This holiday season, simplify where you can, conserve your energy for what matters, and let go of perfection. You’re doing an amazing job. 💛
Deepak Chopra, a pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, reveals a new light to consider your decisions:
If you obsess over whether you are making the right decision, you are basically assuming that the universe will reward you for one thing and punish you for another. The universe has no fixed agenda. Once you make any decision, it works around that decision. There is no right or wrong, only a series of possibilities that shift with each thought, feeling, and action that you experience.
from The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, offers a helpful framework to think about decisions:
I think about decisions in three ways: hats, haircuts, and tattoos.
Most decisions are like hats. Try one and if you don’t like it, put it back and try another. The cost of a mistake is low, so move quickly and try a bunch of hats.
Some decisions are like haircuts. You can fix a bad one, but it won’t be quick and you might feel foolish for awhile. That said, don't be scared of a bad haircut. Trying something new is usually a risk worth taking. If it doesn't work out, by this time next year you will have moved on and so will everyone else.
A few decisions are like tattoos. Once you make them, you have to live with them. Some mistakes are irreversible. Maybe you'll move on for a moment, but then you'll glance in the mirror and be reminded of that choice all over again. Even years later, the decision leaves a mark. When you're dealing with an irreversible choice, move slowly and think carefully.
from The 3-2-1 Newsletter
What decisions this holiday season will matter a year from now?