How Can We Handle 35,000 DECISIONS a Day ?

How Can We Handle 35,000 DECISIONS a Day ?

Do you believe this?  That we handle an average of 35,000 DECISIONS a day?  This is neither an exaggeration nor hyperbole.  Go and 'google' it now.   You can be one who's laidback, idle and even probably just a retiree swaying on that rocking chair but DON'T underestimate them because they are still struggling with thousands of decisions a day, whew.

Two days back, I attended an engagement guesting Francis Kong, a multi-awardee and recognized international motivational speaker across industries and he asked everyone as to what is the average number of decisions we have to deal on a daily basis.  Whew, it's 35,000!  Mind boggling but this is the latest realization we need to deal with.  Waking up is no mean feat as we have to hurdle 35,000 decisions!

Can you imagine that?  From the time our alarm buzzes out, there comes our very first decision, whether we should click 'snooze' so you can get back to your unfinished dreams?  The past years, researches have shown related to the limits of our decision-making energies.  Ooooops, our capability is NOT being questioned here but instead, it's our energy-level.  And it turns out that the quality of our decisions begin to erode during the course of a typical day.  Do note that we're referring to a 'typical' day and not to those outliers where either you are medically ill or you are in the middle of a nationwide barnstorming across multiple locations.  Why is this so?  Simple.  As the day progresses, our FIXED AMOUNT of WILLPOWER is used up.

Sharing this chart from www.lifeskilladvocate.com.  And this chart says it all.  Children go around the 3,000 daily average whereas us adults, 35,000 is the median for decision points.  So what researchers have proved yet?  It's that decision-making power is a DEPLETABLE RESOURCE.

Unfortunately, most of the decisions we need to make are not X's and O's, not the YES or NO stuff sprinkled with MAYBEs.  A big chunk are intricate and complex webs of variables which when pieced together, even the top-tier math wizard will just go dizzy.  Instead, how do we prepare handling 35,000 decision points a day?  First, THROW the garbage.  Not all decision points need to be made.  Secondly, PRIORITIZE.  Thirdly, do an apples-to-apples comparison between options and iterations.  Lastly when you seem more confused, tap your helpline.  Seek guidance from your partner/spouse or from your mentor, coach or close and trusted friends.  NEVER BE AN ISLAND ❗❗❗