Decision fatigue describes what happens after humans have to make many decisions. Making decisions requires thinking and effort, which tires the brain. After continuously making decisions, the brain wants a break, so may start making less accurate and less beneficial decisions.
Steve Jobs famously wore the same outfit each day so he would have one less decision to make.
Examples:
On the first day, a new hire is making many choices about retirement options and benefits. Then they’re expected to make even more decisions, now about health insurance. They are too mentally tired to read all of the details, so select the plan that is presented first.
What it is not:
Is it not mental exhaustion of your willpower - that is ego depletion. And it is not being presented with too many choices at once - that is choice overload.
