Random Picker: Decision Fatigue and the Value of Outsourcing Small Choices
Decision fatigue is a well-documented cognitive phenomenon: the quality of decisions deteriorates after making many choices in a row. The mental energy spent on minor decisions (what to eat, what to watch, which route to take) draws from the same pool as the energy available for consequential decisions.
The Research
Studies of judges found that parole approval rates dropped from roughly 65% at the start of a session to nearly 0% just before a break — then reset after the break. The "decision" being made wasn't changing; the judges' decision-making capacity was depleting.
Barack Obama famously limited his wardrobe to gray and blue suits — "I'm trying to pare down decisions. I don't want to make decisions about what I'm eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make."
When Random Is Rational
For decisions where:
- The options are roughly equivalent in importance
- The mental effort of choosing exceeds the value difference between options
- You'll be fine with any outcome
...a random picker is genuinely the optimal tool. It produces a decision instantly, without cognitive cost.
Good candidates for random selection:
- What to have for lunch/dinner (when you have several acceptable options)
- Which of several equally good movies to watch
- Who goes first in a game
- Tiebreaking between equivalent candidates
Bad candidates for random selection:
- Anything with meaningfully different consequences
- Decisions you'll second-guess if they go wrong
The rational use of randomness is a legitimate life optimization — not laziness.
[Use the random picker →](https://doesitaddup.com)
This article is for informational purposes only. See our disclaimer.