Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

How To Outsmart Decision Fatigue: 3 Strategies for Clearer Thinking

• Brooke Richie-Babbage

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Mid-year always feels like it should be a breather... but somehow, it’s not. If you’re feeling foggy, stretched thin, or stuck in reactive mode right now—you are not alone. This episode is all about decision fatigue, that sneaky mental exhaustion that piles up without us noticing. I’m breaking down why this happens (especially mid-year) and sharing three simple, practical strategies nonprofit leaders can use to lighten the load. These are tools I use with my coaching clients—and myself—to protect clarity, energy, and focus for the second half of the year.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why mid-year is a prime danger zone for decision fatigue
  • How to set default decisions to reduce overwhelm
  • Simple mindset shifts that make your to-do list lighter (without ignoring what matters)

💡 Key Takeaways:

  1. Decision fatigue is structural, not personal. It’s not about being bad at leadership—it’s how the brain works.
  2. Defaults and rules protect your mental energy. Remove recurring micro-decisions before they drain you.
  3. Narrow your time horizon. Zoom in from big, overwhelming goals to the next right step.

🔧 Step-by-Step Framework to Reduce Decision Fatigue:

  1. Design Default Decisions:
    • Turn anything you do more than twice into a default.
    • Examples: Assign writing days, set standing meeting cadences, or use the same reflection questions after every event.
  2. Set Compassionate Rules:
    • Pre-decide boundaries to eliminate repetitive mental negotiations.
    • Examples: No emails after 7 p.m., “If it’s not in the budget, it’s not on the table,” or “I only say yes to things that strengthen our funding pipeline.”
  3. Shrink Your Time Horizon:
    • Stop solving the whole year and just solve today—or the next step.
    • Example: Instead of fixing the staff burnout problem completely, commit to enforcing 6 p.m. log-off times for two weeks.

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