Do you ever find that, when faced with several choices about what to do with or about something, you can only go so far before wanting to quit and maybe take a nap? Decision-fatigue is real. It’s not limited to Senior Citizens but it is perhaps more intensely felt by us as we slow down and our energy wanes.
One of the hardest things to deal with is Aspirational Clutter. This is all the things that you’ve kept because you fully intended to get back to them one day. For some people it is unfinished craft projects. For others it may be course materials for a class you took and intended to do more with. For others it could be canning jars and storage containers for the big garden project to grow all your own food. You could probably add to this list with your own unique slant on the subject.
I have come up with three techniques to help you deal with this problem:
- Create a Commitment Scale. As you look at an unfinished project, judge the level of commitment you feel to finishing it. From 1 to 10, with 1 meaning “I’ll pass on this” and 10 meaning “I am bringing this forward and scheduling a time when I will definitely deal with it. There are many levels in between, known only to you, that you can use to rank your level of commitment.
- You need a mantra that goes like this, “No Shame – No Blame” to take away any self-recrimination or blame-throwing. (This quote comes from the book, “Your Money or Your Life” by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.) It also saves relationships. You may be reluctant to part with something you don’t use or need because at one time you paid way too much for it. Let it go with this mantra. Don’t hold yourself hostage to the past.
- Try Thinking Like a Ghost. Imagine yourself as a disembodied observer of family members or someone hired to clear out your house, apartment, storage unit, etc. after your demise. What things would you want them to know the value and/or history of? Is it okay if they just bring in a dumpster and put everything in it? Postponed decisions can lead to unfortunate consequences.
So, in spite of decision-fatigue try to break a big project into smaller, doable tasks as you have the time and energy to deal with it.
Author: Harriet Vaughan