Tell me if this sounds familiar.
It's the end of the day. You and your family decide to go out for dinner, and everyone looks at you and says, "So, where do you want to go?"
And on the inside? You're dying a little. You just want to yell, "For the love, someone else please decide. I don't care!"
Or maybe this one hits closer to home: you suddenly have an unplanned 30 minutes of free time. You're excited because you have so much to do! But then you waste 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do with the time you were just given. And before you know it, you're scrolling through your phone and all that time is gone.
Yeah, I see you nodding.
Both of these scenarios are actually about the same thing: decision fatigue. And the solution? It's not willpower. It's planning.
1. Understand what decision fatigue actually is
Decision fatigue is real, and it's not something I made up. There's actual neuroscience at play here.
Just like your muscles get fatigued when you lift heavy weights all day, your brain gets fatigued when you make decisions all day long. And when your brain maxes out on decision-making capacity, one of two things happens: you either avoid making decisions entirely (hence the "please just someone else decide" moment) or you start making really bad decisions.
This is why I can easily walk past that sleeve of Thin Mints at 10 in the morning, but at 6 PM? It's a lot harder. My brain is fatigued and has to work overtime to rationalize why I don't need to sit down with an entire sleeve of cookies.
2. Stop operating from a daily task list
You're going to hear me say this a lot: a task list is not a plan.
Most people wake up, create their list for the day, and then spend all day long looking at that list and making decisions about what to do next. Every single time you look at that list, you're making what I call a micro decision.
The more things you have to choose from, the harder it is to make the decision. If you have two tasks on your list, it's pretty easy for your brain to pick one. But if you have 15 things? Your brain has to work way harder scanning across all those options.
You make a decision. Execute it. Come back to the list. Make another decision. All. Day. Long.
No wonder you're tapped out by dinner time.
3. Embrace weekly planning instead
When you shift from daily task-making to planning your week, you eliminate that constant decision-making throughout your day.
I sit down once before my week starts and create my plan. Yes, I have to make decisions during that planning session, but I do it all in one sitting. Then all week long, I'm not looking at my planner to make decisions. I'm looking at it to see what I already decided to do.
My planner tells me, "Here's what we're doing next, Megan. Here's what you already made the decision about."
This is why I can roll into my evening hours far less fatigued than when I was operating from daily task list mode.
4. Create an "extra time" list
Remember that scenario about having unexpected free time and wasting it trying to decide what to do?
At the start of my weekly planning, I have a little space in my planner where I write down things I'd like to do if I have any extra time that week. This is different from my actual plan (the stuff that has to get done). This is the "if I have free time I wasn't planning on, here's how I'd like to spend it" list.
Just yesterday, this saved me. I had an unexpected 45 minutes before dinner. Without my little list, I guarantee I would have sat down with a snack and entertained myself with videos. But instead, I looked at my list and saw I'd written down a book I wanted to start reading. I grabbed the book (still grabbed the snack), went outside, and spent that 45 minutes in a way I'm genuinely glad about.
5. Use visual planning to make rational decisions when things go sideways
This morning, as I sat down to do what I'd planned, my dog decided she needed to throw up all over the house. Everything got derailed.
When you get thrown off your plan without a visual system in place, you spiral. You start thinking, "I knew this would happen. This always happens. Now I'm not getting this done. I'm probably going to have to stay up late. The report's going to be awful. I'm going to get fired. I'll never find another job. I'm going to be homeless in five years."
Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but you get it. đ
When we get stressed, we don't think rationally. But when you have a visual plan for your week, you can look at it and see, "Oh, I have space available here. I can move this thing over there and accommodate this emergency."
You make much more rational decisions because you're showing your brain it's like a puzzle. We can move things around. We can figure it out.
Ready to ditch decision fatigue?
Listen, eliminating decision fatigue is going to give you so much more evenness of both physical and mental energy throughout your day.
If you want to see what this kind of planning actually looks like in action, download my app from the app store (it's called The Pink Bee, all one word). I have some trainings in there that show you visually what these plans look like.
As you're looking at it, ask yourself: if I had this in place, would I make different decisions about how I'm spending my time? Could I totally reduce decision fatigue in my life?
I think you already know the answer.
- My Favorite Planning Supplies đđ
Listen, I'm not going to pretend I don't love good planning supplies. There's something about opening a fresh notebook or testing out a new pen that just makes me happy. So here are some of my current favorites that actually make planning more enjoyable.
The Pilot FriXion erasable pens are absolute lifesavers because I'm never afraid to write in my planner when I know I can fix mistakes. White chalk markers changed everything for my wall calendar since they erase without ghosting. I've also got translucent sticky notes for adding temporary info without covering what's underneath. The right supplies don't make you organized, but they sure make the process more enjoyable. And when planning feels good? You're way more likely to actually do it! - Digital and Printable TOP Planner for 2026!
The 2026 TOP Planners are here, which means you can start the new year with a planning system that actually works with your real life instead of against it. Whether you prefer paper, digital, or switching between both depending on your mood, all formats are available now in the TOP Planner Store.
The TOP Planner isn't just another pretty planner; it's the only planner that teaches you HOW to plan using the proven weekly planning method that's helped thousands of women finally feel in control of their time!
Stop Letting Random Tasks Ruin Your Focus All Day Long
You sit down to finally tackle that one important task, and then the interruptions start. A password needs resetting. An email about the basketball schedule pops up. Before you know it, half an hour is gone, and you haven't even started. Those permission slips, doctor's appointments, bills, and random admin tasks don't wait for a convenient time. They derail your focus all day long, leaving you exhausted but feeling like nothing actually got done.
In this video, I'm sharing why traditional time management systems fail women running households, the simple two-step system for handling all those random admin tasks without losing your focus, and how to create a capture system that works with your brain instead of against it. You'll learn when and how to schedule your Household COO time so tasks stop interrupting your day and you can finally protect your focus for what actually matters.
|
My Honest Take on Notion for Time Management and Organization
Multiple people have asked me about Notion lately, wondering if it's the right tool for managing their time, tasks, and information.
In this week's Weekly Buzz, I'm breaking down where Notion actually shines versus where it falls short, why I don't recommend it for true project management, especially with teams, and the one critical factor that determines whether Notion will work for you or become another abandoned tool in your digital graveyard.
You'll learn why "you can do just about anything in there" is both Notion's biggest strength and its biggest weakness, where it fits into your overall tech stack, and what kind of person will actually love using it versus who should probably look elsewhere.
Remember, this video is updated every Wednesday, so donât miss it! Head to The Pink Bee app to watch now.
Friend, donât forgetâjust 15 minutes of planning today can set the tone for your entire week. Youâve got the tools, youâve got the tips, and now itâs time to take action. Letâs crush this week together!
Responses