Decision Fatigue Calculator

You made over 40 decisions before lunch. Most of them didn't matter.

What to eat. What to wear. Which route. Which task first. Whether to reply now or later. Whether to scroll or do something useful. What to watch. Whether to work out. What to buy.

None of these feel like a big deal in the moment. But your brain doesn't know that. Every decision, no matter how small, uses the same mental bandwidth as the important ones. And by 3 PM, you're wondering why you can't focus, can't decide, and can't stop defaulting to the easiest option.

That's decision fatigue. And it's invisible until you count.

This tool makes you count.

How it works:

The Excel file comes pre-loaded with 30 common decisions most people make without thinking about it. You go through them, check which ones apply to you, add your own, and for each one you answer three simple questions: How often do you make this decision? How much mental effort does it take? And what could you do about it?

The Dashboard calculates everything automatically.

Your Decision Load Score tells you how heavy your decision burden actually is. The category breakdown shows where your mental energy is going (spoiler: food, communication, and screens usually dominate). The action breakdown shows how many decisions you could standardize, automate, or eliminate entirely.

Most people score over 100. That's the "Overloaded" range. Then they see that more than half their decisions could be handled with a simple default, a routine, or by just stopping.

That's the shift. Not "try harder." Not "be more disciplined." Just make fewer decisions about things that don't deserve your attention.

What's inside:

The Excel workbook has three tabs. Instructions walks you through the categories, action types, and scoring. The Decision Log is where you list and classify every decision. The Dashboard auto-calculates your score, shows charts, identifies your biggest category and heaviest single decision, and tells you how much of your load is removable.

The PDF companion is a 3-page print version for people who prefer paper. Same structure: quick-start guide with category legend, a blank decision log, and an analysis page with space to write your action plan.

12 decision categories cover everything from Food & Meals to Work Priorities to Entertainment & Screens to Parenting & Family.

4 action types for every decision: Keep As-Is (it genuinely needs your attention), Standardize (create a default and stop deciding), Automate/Batch (set it and forget it), or Eliminate (stop making this decision entirely).

243 formulas. Zero errors. One score that changes how you think about your day.

Who this is for:

Anyone who feels mentally drained by 3 PM and can't figure out why. Anyone who defaults to the easiest option when they're tired. Anyone who spends 10 minutes deciding what to eat and then wonders where their willpower went. Anyone who suspects they're overthinking things that don't matter.

Professionals drowning in decisions at work. Parents making 50 micro-decisions before the kids are out the door. People who want to understand why they feel exhausted even on days they didn't do much.

If you've ever said "I just can't make one more decision today," this tool shows you exactly why.

The Lean thinking behind it:

In process improvement, there's a concept called standardization. It means: if something doesn't need to vary, stop letting it vary. Create a default and free up capacity for the things that actually matter.

Most people apply this at work but never to their own lives. This calculator applies it to your day. The result isn't about being robotic or rigid. It's about protecting your mental energy for the decisions that actually deserve it.

Why it's free:

Because decision fatigue affects everyone, and most people don't even know it has a name. If this tool helps you reclaim some mental clarity, share it with someone who looks exhausted by Wednesday. That's how better thinking spreads.

Pairs with: The Time Audit Sheet shows where your hours go. This shows where your mental energy goes. Use both for the full picture. The 8 Wastes Spotter helps you find even more hidden waste. All free at leansixsigma.cc.