Last Tuesday, I found myself standing in the kitchen staring into the refrigerator.
Not because there wasn't any food.
Because I was negotiating with myself.
"Maybe eggs...
No, I had those yesterday.
Maybe a protein shake...
Or maybe I'll just grab something later."
Five minutes later, I still hadn't eaten.
Eventually I ate a cup of yogurt.
Not because yogurt was the best choice.
Because it was the easiest choice after I'd exhausted myself thinking about breakfast.
Now multiply that by everything else.
"Should I work out today?"
"What should I work on first?"
"Should I answer email?"
"What are we doing for dinner?"
"Maybe I should take a walk..."
"I'll do it this afternoon."
(Which, as we all know, is where many good intentions go to die.)
The average pastor doesn't just make big decisions.
He makes hundreds of little ones.
Most aren't important individually.
But together?
They're exhausting.
We've talked about that before.
The most productive people I know don't necessarily make better decisions.
They simply make fewer unnecessary ones.
That's because they've already made them.
Here are five strategic ones you can decide now to reduce decision fatigue.
Decision #1: When You'll Work Out
Don't wake up every morning asking,
"Should I exercise today?"
That question has defeated more pastors than bad knees.
Instead, decide once.
Monday. Wednesday. Friday.
Or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Whatever works.
Then the conversation changes.
Not...
"Should I?"
But...
"It's Wednesday."
There's remarkable freedom in removing yourself from the debate.
Decision #2: What Breakfast Usually Is
Notice I didn't say always.
I said usually.
I don't eat the exact same breakfast every morning.
But I have defaults.
If I'm home...
I already know my options.
If I'm traveling...
I already know my options.
Otherwise, breakfast becomes an episode of Chopped.
"Today's mystery ingredients are half a banana, leftover brisket, and a protein bar that's been in your backpack since the youth retreat."
Good defaults beat daily deliberation.
Decision #3: What the First Hour Is For
Many pastors don't start their day.
They react to it.
Email.
Texts.
A church member who "just has one quick question."
(There is no such thing.)
Before long, you've spent your best mental energy solving everyone else's problems.
Decide in advance what wins your first hour.
Prayer.
Sermon work.
Writing.
Strategic planning.
Whatever matters most.
Don't let your inbox decide your priorities.
Decision #4: Your Default Lunch
This sounds almost too simple.
It isn't.
If you regularly find yourself driving around at noon thinking,
"What sounds good?"
... you're probably already too hungry to make a wise decision.
Have three defaults.
One for home.
One for travel.
One for grabbing something quickly.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
It just has to remove the daily negotiation.
Boring, sure.
Strategic, very.
Why lunch?
Because lunch is a meal where we derail the most...
Out with others.
In a hurry.
Mid-day cravings.
Nail this one and your conscience (and your health) will high-five your soul.
Decision #5: What Happens After Sunday
This may be the biggest one.
Sunday afternoon.
Sunday evening.
Monday morning.
If you don't have a default rhythm, you'll spend the first part of every week recovering accidentally instead of intentionally.
Maybe your rhythm includes:
- A nap.
- Family time.
- A walk.
- Capturing loose ends.
- Reviewing your calendar.
- Planning the week.
The specifics matter less than the fact that you've already decided.
And whether the Sunday left you feeling elated or irritated (thank you, Miss Linda)...
... rhythms help smooth out the wrinkles in both directions.
Here's the Bigger Principle
Notice something.
None of these decisions are particularly profound.
That's exactly the point.
We're waiting for life-changing decisions. Meanwhile, life is being shaped by ordinary ones we've never settled.
Every recurring decision has a hidden tax.
Every time you revisit it, you pay with attention.
Eventually those little taxes add up.
One decision made once can save you from making it another hundred times.
This Week's Challenge
Don't overhaul your life.
Don't buy another planner.
Don't download another app.
Just make five decisions you've been making over and over again.
Decide them once.
Write them down.
Then let your calendar... not your emotions... carry them forward.
Because the goal isn't to become more rigid.
It's to free your attention for what actually deserves it.
After all, every unnecessary decision you eliminate is one more piece of mental energy you can invest in your family, your church, your health, and your calling.
And that's a trade worth making.
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