Do you suffer from decision fatigue?

Do you have trouble with the multitude of decisions involved in carrying carry out mundane activities? Like grocery shopping?

Here is how a typical trip to the grocery store evolves for me.

Before I leave home I choose the week’s menu, make an organized list of the items I need to create these culinary delights, and skip off to Hannaford. I have a song in my heart, and I’m grateful to have funds to buy food in a clean, well-stocked grocery store with wonderful employees who look out for my every need.

macro of shopping list money and pen

I have money and I’m full of hope. Also, the diapers are for my grandson. Depositphotos_Copyright_elvinstar.jpg

I begin my expedition and so does the decision-making.

  • Do I buy salad ingredients at the salad bar or in the produce department?
  • What is the best buy based on cost per unit?
  • Do I buy store brand or name brand?
  • Do I buy in quantity when on special? (I’m sure Patrick and I will eat up this five-pound box of clementines before they turn into adorable little green fuzz balls that smell like finger nail polish remover.)
  • Do I buy organic or food laced with chemicals? (I am getting older so realistically how many years can I benefit from eating clean?)
  • Do I buy fresh or frozen?
  • Do I buy full fat or ‘lite?’
  • Do I buy salted, unsalted, or low salt?
  • How do I best avoid the person hawking samples?

On and on it goes. It’s enough to drive you straight to the liquor aisle but have you seen the choices in that aisle lately?

By the time I plod along to the check out counter I barely have enough energy to feel a sense of victory, before I have to start making more decisions.

  • Did I find everything I was looking for? (A little late to ask – I could have used your help in the liquor aisle).
  • Do I have any coupons?
  • Do I want plastic or paper?
  • Do I want my bags packed heavy or light?
  • Do I want my chicken double bagged?
  • Do I want my beer in a bag?
  • Do I want cash back?
  • Do I want help out with my cart?

As I wander dazed around the parking lot looking for my car, I feel a sense of relief that I don’t need to buy gas. The onslaught of decisions involved in that attempt might put me over the edge.

  • Debit or credit?
  • Car wash?
  • If yes on the car wash do I want Deluxe, Super Deluxe or Deluxe on Steroids?
  • What grade of gasoline?
  • Do I want a printed receipt?

Please forgive me for ending this post awkwardly and abruptly. I wrote up several brilliant endings but I can’t decide which one to use……..

Molly Stevens

About Molly Stevens

Molly Stevens arrived late to the writing desk but is forever grateful her second act took this direction instead of adult tricycle racing or hoarding cats. She was raised on a potato farm in northern Maine, where she wore a snowsuit over both her Halloween costume and her Easter dress.