Decision Fatigue

The quality of decisions deteriorates after a long session of decision-making. Cognitive resources are finite — later decisions are worse, and the brain defaults to the path of least resistance.

• Israeli parole judges granted parole to about 65% of cases in the morning — and almost 0% right before a meal break, rising again after eating.
• Doctors prescribe more unnecessary antibiotics and make more default recommendations at the end of long shifts.
• Steve Jobs wore the same outfit every day to eliminate one daily decision and preserve cognitive resources for more important choices.