The other shortcut is the ultimate energy saver, doing nothing. Instead of agonizing over decisions,

people avoid any choice. Ducking a decision often creates bigger problems in the long run,

but for the moment, it eases the mental strain. Welcome to Darren Daly on demand, your most

trusted resource to help you become better every day.

Here's your success mentor, Darren Hardy.

Three people sat on the parole board, which determined whether inmates would be granted parole.

All the inmates finished at least two-thirds of their sentences,

but only one was granted parole. As it turned out, the determining factor in whether the persons

were given parole or not had little to do with their crimes or rehabilitation. The first person

appeared before the board at 8.50 a.m. The second, 3.10 p.m. and the third,

4.25 p.m. on another day. Only the prisoner heard first thing in the morning was freed.

The study of more than 1,100 decisions over a year showed that prisoners who faced parole boards

earliest were most likely to receive parole. 70% of the time, early morning appearances before the board were granted parole,

compared to those that were later in the day from which prisoners were only paroled less than 10% of the time.

When people become fatigued, they switch to a quicker, more efficient, less energy-consuming,

but more fallible form of decision-making.

When we are fatigued, we have a much more difficult time collaborating, communicating,

and compromising.

We are much more prone to choose the default option when we are tired because it's hard to think through our other options. Decision fatigue

helps explain why ordinarily sensible people get angry at colleagues and families,

splurge on clothes, buy junk food at the supermarket, and can't resist the dealer's offer to

rust-proof their new car. No matter how rational and high-minded you try to be,

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