Suffering from decision fatigue? Why not take tips from a toddler and live life on repeat
There is a famous children's book called Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, which tells the story of two male rabbits, Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare, who are presumably father and son, though it's never explicitly mentioned.
The book begins with Little Nutbrown Hare asking Big Nutbrown Hare the question, 'Guess how much I love you?' and continues as the pair use increasing measures to quantify how much they love each other. I know this because I've read Guess How Much I Love You every single night for the past year at the insistence of my two-year-old son.
It's not lost on me that in agreeing to read this book every night, I inadvertently answer the question: guess how much I love you? Only love would compel any sane person to read the same book every night, especially when there are so many great books to read, books about more than rabbits and love (or other books about rabbits and love, if that's your flavour).
And yet, each time I gently guide him towards something new (I am hearing good things about Magic Beach!), he refuses to be swayed: 'But I like it'.
This rigid dedication applies to most aspects of his life: food (pesto pasta), films (the live-action Peter Rabbit movie from 2018 featuring the voice of James Corden, urgh), and hobbies (building forts). In a world of endless choices, he has decided to disregard them altogether – and couldn't be happier.
Conversely, I find myself plagued by the opposite problem: decision fatigue. Decision fatigue (or choice paralysis) refers to the idea that the more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult choices can become.
This is especially rampant right now because, according to Dr Barry Schwartz, psychologist and author of The Paradox of Choice, 'people are currently operating with far more options in our lives than we need and that serve us'.
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Sydney Morning Herald
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Suffering from decision fatigue? Why not take tips from a toddler and live life on repeat
There is a famous children's book called Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, which tells the story of two male rabbits, Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare, who are presumably father and son, though it's never explicitly mentioned. The book begins with Little Nutbrown Hare asking Big Nutbrown Hare the question, 'Guess how much I love you?' and continues as the pair use increasing measures to quantify how much they love each other. I know this because I've read Guess How Much I Love You every single night for the past year at the insistence of my two-year-old son. It's not lost on me that in agreeing to read this book every night, I inadvertently answer the question: guess how much I love you? Only love would compel any sane person to read the same book every night, especially when there are so many great books to read, books about more than rabbits and love (or other books about rabbits and love, if that's your flavour). And yet, each time I gently guide him towards something new (I am hearing good things about Magic Beach!), he refuses to be swayed: 'But I like it'. This rigid dedication applies to most aspects of his life: food (pesto pasta), films (the live-action Peter Rabbit movie from 2018 featuring the voice of James Corden, urgh), and hobbies (building forts). In a world of endless choices, he has decided to disregard them altogether – and couldn't be happier. Conversely, I find myself plagued by the opposite problem: decision fatigue. Decision fatigue (or choice paralysis) refers to the idea that the more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult choices can become. This is especially rampant right now because, according to Dr Barry Schwartz, psychologist and author of The Paradox of Choice, 'people are currently operating with far more options in our lives than we need and that serve us'.
The Age
17-05-2025
- The Age
Suffering from decision fatigue? Why not take tips from a toddler and live life on repeat
There is a famous children's book called Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, which tells the story of two male rabbits, Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare, who are presumably father and son, though it's never explicitly mentioned. The book begins with Little Nutbrown Hare asking Big Nutbrown Hare the question, 'Guess how much I love you?' and continues as the pair use increasing measures to quantify how much they love each other. I know this because I've read Guess How Much I Love You every single night for the past year at the insistence of my two-year-old son. It's not lost on me that in agreeing to read this book every night, I inadvertently answer the question: guess how much I love you? Only love would compel any sane person to read the same book every night, especially when there are so many great books to read, books about more than rabbits and love (or other books about rabbits and love, if that's your flavour). And yet, each time I gently guide him towards something new (I am hearing good things about Magic Beach!), he refuses to be swayed: 'But I like it'. This rigid dedication applies to most aspects of his life: food (pesto pasta), films (the live-action Peter Rabbit movie from 2018 featuring the voice of James Corden, urgh), and hobbies (building forts). In a world of endless choices, he has decided to disregard them altogether – and couldn't be happier. Conversely, I find myself plagued by the opposite problem: decision fatigue. Decision fatigue (or choice paralysis) refers to the idea that the more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult choices can become. This is especially rampant right now because, according to Dr Barry Schwartz, psychologist and author of The Paradox of Choice, 'people are currently operating with far more options in our lives than we need and that serve us'.
