π― The Decision Diet
Read time: 3.9 minutes
Welcome to Better at Life, the weekly newsletter where I share one simple, actionable idea you can put into practice today to build better habits, sharpen your mindset, and live with more intention.
II was standing in my kitchen this week, staring into the refrigerator like it had suddenly become a complex life puzzle.
Not because there was nothing to eat.
Because there were too many options.
Eggs. Yogurt. Leftovers. Toast. Smoothie. Oatmeal.
None of these were hard decisions.
That was the point.
By 8:15 a.m., I had already spent energy choosing breakfast, deciding what to wear, checking which task to start first, and wondering whether I should answer emails now or later.
Most of us do this all day.
Not with dramatic life decisions.
With tiny, forgettable ones.
And those small choices add up.
I think of this as The Decision Diet.
A simple rule for reducing the number of unnecessary choices you make each day so your best energy is still available for what actually matters.
A good diet removes what drains you.
So does this one.
The goal is not to make life rigid.
It is to stop wasting attention on decisions that do not deserve it.
Write this down:
Save your decisions for what deserves your mind.
This Weekβs Action
Pick three decisions you make repeatedly and simplify them.
Look for choices like:
- what to eat for breakfast or lunch
- what time to exercise
- what task to start first
- when to check email
- what to wear on workdays
Then reduce the options.
You might create a default lunch.
Choose tomorrowβs clothes the night before.
Use a fixed start-up routine for the first 30 minutes of work.
Set two email windows instead of checking all day.
This is similar to the logic behind the 3-Win Day.
You decide a few important things once, on purpose, so you are not renegotiating them all day long.
Why This Works
Decision fatigue is sneaky.
You rarely feel it happening in real time.
You just feel oddly scattered by midafternoon.
Every small choice pulls a little from the same pool of attention you need for focus, patience, and judgment.
When you reduce low-value decisions, you create more room for higher-value ones.
You also lower friction.
And lower friction makes good habits easier to repeat.
Try This
Run a one-week Decision Diet.
For the next seven days, choose defaults for:
- one meal
- one part of your morning
- one part of your workday
Keep it simple.
Do not optimize.
Repeat what works.
The test is not whether your system is perfect.
The test is whether it makes the day feel lighter.
Weekly Reflection
Before you move on from this email, pause for a moment.
Ask yourself:
Which small decisions keep interrupting my day?
What could become a default instead?
Where am I spending energy without getting much back?
Write it down.
Then simplify one thing before tomorrow starts.
If this idea feels useful, feel free to pass it along to someone who might need it this week.
A better week is often built from fewer choices, not better intentions.
Less friction.
More clarity.
See you next week β a little better at life.
______
Dr. Chris Mullen
Bring Better at Life to Your Organization
If these ideas resonate, this is also the work I bring into organizations and leadership teams.
I partner with organizations that want clearer thinking, stronger decision-making, and more sustainable performance.
Engagements typically include:
- Keynote speaking for conferences and leadership events
- Leadership development workshops for teams and managers
- Team strategy sessions focused on alignment and execution
For senior leaders seeking deeper application, I also maintain a small executive coaching practice.
