Breaking Decision Fatigue With Smart Defaults

Decision fatigue quietly drains execution. Smart defaults reduce friction on the choices you make daily—so you save energy for the hard problems.

Where Defaults Help Most

• Calendar: Pre-block deep work and workout times; auto-decline conflicts.
• Meals: A simple rotation for busy days; save creativity for weekends.
• Money: Auto-pay essentials, auto-invest, and pre-set monthly reviews.

Design Better Defaults

• Make the desired action the easiest action.
• Add friction to undesired actions (e.g., delete shopping apps, remove saved cards).
• Revisit defaults monthly to prevent drift.

Protect Your Willpower

Keep a short “ruleset” visible: how you start days, when you check messages, what you say yes/no to. Fewer micro-decisions mean more energy for building, leading, and thinking.