The majority of artists nowadays struggle with decision fatigue. I want to explore this topic and its importance to the creative process and the entire career of an artist because I have fallen victim not once, not twice, but three times to decision fatigue, which led to art blocks.

Disclaimer: I am an artist, not a health professional. So all my advice is based on personal experience as well as research. My tips may not work for everyone.

What is an artist’s decision fatigue?

According to registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke, MA, RP, decision fatigue is a phenomenon where the more decisions a person makes over the course of a day, the more physically, mentally, and emotionally drained they become.

An artist’s everyday life is all about decision-making. When shall we create? Where? How many artworks should we produce in a certain period? Could we improve our art style? Is it time to share a work of art and put it out there? Is this painting finished? Where should we promote it? Is it good enough? Is this the art we are seeking to create? etc.

You, as an artist, are the god of your creative realm. And as a God, you have to make all the decisions.

artists decision fatigue
Source

Why does artists’ decision fatigue happen? And what are its symptoms?

Decision fatigue happens when:

  • You make a lot of decisions every day
  • Your decisions impact other people
  • You’re in the midst of a difficult life situation
  • You’re faced with uncertainty
  • You have perfectionist tendencies.

And it leads to:

  • Procrastination or decision-avoidance
  • Impulsivity
  • Exhaustion
  • Brain fog
  • Irritability
  • Overwhelmed
  • Regret or dissatisfaction.
  • Physical discomfort.

As an artist, how can you prevent decision fatigue from happening?

It is not easy to prevent the artist’s decision fatigue from happening, but you can certainly limit it as it isn’t a chronic issue. The following are some protective measures that we can build into our daily lives to limit decision fatigue.

1. Remove choice from some elements of your life.

Steve Jobs was known for wearing the exact same outfit every day. He has publicly spoken about how he wanted to remove the need to think about what to wear from his routine so that he had fewer decisions to make in his day. As an artist, I know every little detail in your life matters, and you are using many ways to express yourself, in which fashion is probably taking part. But you can still limit the number of decisions you need to make, such as what brand of product you need to buy, what podcasts you listen to in the car, where you store certain things, etc. You need to automate some things and accept them as good enough instead of chasing perfection.

2. Prioritize self-care

Good sleep, a good diet, and enough exercise help regulate your emotions and improve executive function. Caring for yourself can make handling decisions much easier and prevent decision fatigue from happening.

3. Delegate some of your tasks to others

Whether you run a creative business or paint in your studio, having someone to delegate some of the tasks to is really handy. Some decisions are always going to be yours, and I know as a perfectionist how hard it is to let someone else take care of something, but I’m here to tell you: They may make a mistake every once in a while, but so will you! So go ahead and prioritize your peace over your fear.

4. Build downtime into your day

Life can get so busy that we sometimes forget to give our brains a chance to go offline for a while. Scheduling downtime—whether that means watching reality TV on your phone over your lunch break, meditating for 20 minutes every day, or taking the long route when you walk your dog after dinner—can help keep your brain charged and ready to make tough choices.

Conclusion

When you decide to pursue a creative life, it will look different from everyone else’s lives. And that is hard, but it is also beautiful. So enjoy creating while taking care of your mental and physical health <3