Making decisions
The decision energy framework
The decision energy framework
5 minutes
This framework helps leaders reduce decision fatigue by intentionally protecting judgement for the decisions that matter most.
1
Identify decision drainers
Start by noticing where your decision energy is leaking.
Ask yourself:
• What decisions do I make repeatedly?
• What decisions could be guided by clearer rules or expectations?
• Where am I deciding things, others could own?
Leadership examples:
• Being asked daily how to respond to the same type of email or customer issue
• Approving minor changes that sit well below your role level
• Re-deciding priorities each week because expectations aren’t clear
• Being the default escalation point for issues your team could resolve
Repeated, low-value decisions are the fastest way to drain judgement.
Ask yourself:
• What decisions do I make repeatedly?
• What decisions could be guided by clearer rules or expectations?
• Where am I deciding things, others could own?
Leadership examples:
• Being asked daily how to respond to the same type of email or customer issue
• Approving minor changes that sit well below your role level
• Re-deciding priorities each week because expectations aren’t clear
• Being the default escalation point for issues your team could resolve
Repeated, low-value decisions are the fastest way to drain judgement.
2
Decide once, not repeatedly
Some decisions don’t need to be re-made every day.
Ask:
• Can this decision be made once and turned into a standard?
• Can expectations be clarified so others don’t need to ask?
Leadership examples:
• Setting clear criteria for when work needs your approval and when it doesn’t
• Agreeing on team priorities for the quarter rather than renegotiating them weekly
• Defining what “good enough” looks like for common tasks or deliverables
• Establishing clear guidelines for flexible work or availability
Deciding once creates consistency and frees up mental space.
Ask:
• Can this decision be made once and turned into a standard?
• Can expectations be clarified so others don’t need to ask?
Leadership examples:
• Setting clear criteria for when work needs your approval and when it doesn’t
• Agreeing on team priorities for the quarter rather than renegotiating them weekly
• Defining what “good enough” looks like for common tasks or deliverables
• Establishing clear guidelines for flexible work or availability
Deciding once creates consistency and frees up mental space.
3
Eliminate, automate, or delegate
Not every decision belongs with you.
For each recurring decision, consider:
• Eliminate: Does this decision need to exist at all?
• Automate: Can a rule, system, or process handle it?
• Delegate: Who is best placed to decide this going forward?
Leadership examples:
• Removing unnecessary approvals that slow work down
• Using templates or decision rules for routine responses
• Delegating scheduling, task sequencing, or operational decisions to the team
• Empowering a team member to own a recurring issue or workflow
Delegation isn’t about losing control. It’s about protecting capacity.
For each recurring decision, consider:
• Eliminate: Does this decision need to exist at all?
• Automate: Can a rule, system, or process handle it?
• Delegate: Who is best placed to decide this going forward?
Leadership examples:
• Removing unnecessary approvals that slow work down
• Using templates or decision rules for routine responses
• Delegating scheduling, task sequencing, or operational decisions to the team
• Empowering a team member to own a recurring issue or workflow
Delegation isn’t about losing control. It’s about protecting capacity.
4
Protect judgement for what matters
Be intentional about where your best thinking goes.
Ask:
• Which decisions genuinely require my experience and judgement?
• When am I at my clearest during the day?
• How can I schedule complex decisions when my energy is highest?
Leadership examples:
• Blocking time for strategic decisions rather than squeezing them between meetings
• Tackling people or performance decisions when you’re fresh, not fatigued
• Saying no to low-value decisions that don’t align with your role
• Being deliberate about when you engage, rather than reacting to everything
This ensures your judgement is used where it has the greatest impact.
Ask:
• Which decisions genuinely require my experience and judgement?
• When am I at my clearest during the day?
• How can I schedule complex decisions when my energy is highest?
Leadership examples:
• Blocking time for strategic decisions rather than squeezing them between meetings
• Tackling people or performance decisions when you’re fresh, not fatigued
• Saying no to low-value decisions that don’t align with your role
• Being deliberate about when you engage, rather than reacting to everything
This ensures your judgement is used where it has the greatest impact.
A final note
Decision fatigue is not a personal failure.
It’s a structural issue.
When leaders reduce unnecessary decisions, they think more clearly, act more calmly, and lead more effectively, even under pressure.
Fewer decisions + clearer rules protect better judgement.
by
Julie Barton
Coach at Hellomonday | Coached over 2000 leaders