Updated: Aug 26
Adults make between 30,000 - 35,000 decisions every day. The majority (90%) are made subconsciously at a rate of about one each 1-2 seconds. The remaining 10% requires us to make the most of our finite mental capacity. The American Psychological Association reports that 64% of parents cite back-to-school season as a significant stressor—largely due to decision overload.
I’m sending a sophomore to high school. My decisions may be fewer than when she was younger, but it is DEFINITELY more challenging now than ever before to get her input and feedback. That, frankly, is stressful.
The good news is we can reduce stress and mental load by implementing a few key systems that reduce the number of decisions we make while in the thick of it.
Why This Chaos Hits Hard
Decision fatigue is real. Research shows your brain’s ability to make quality choices wears down with each decision, kind of like a phone battery. By 7 PM, you’re running on low and overwhelmed at the thought of fixing dinner, solving pop-up problems, and having to schlep a kid someplace else for the evening.
The Fix for Busy Families
Front-load some decisions, and front-load as many as you can. Do this even if you don’t really want to. You’ll gain sanity and clarity, while reinforcing the muscles in your brain around a new habit.
3 Productivity Boosts to Steal for Back-to-School
1. The Prep – Get Ahead Before School Starts
Do this: Carve out time to sit down and write a calendar of ALL THE STUFF. Input EVERY deadline, every volleyball and/or football game, every back to school event, pancake breakfast event, networking event, etc. Write them all down.
Science says: Physically writing tasks and lists frees up mental RAM. However, if you are a digital calendar guru, go for it!
Pro tip: Post this calendar where everyone can see it. I like the refrigerator. Do this even if you have to print out your digital calendar.
2. The Meal Matrix – Feed the Family with Fewer Decisions
Do this: Pick 3-5 “template meals” a week (Taco Tuesday, Brinner – breakfast for dinner, Bowl Night, Leftover Night, Takeout Night, Salad Night) to reduce decisions.
Do this: While referencing your event calendar, write the meal plan for the next two weeks. Place it somewhere everyone can see. I use a notebook on the counter.
Do this: As you build your meal plan, make a grocery list and shop with it. I keep a running grocery list in that book on the counter with the menu.
Do this: Pick ONE breakfast for the week and eat it on repeat. My current favorite is an English muffin with PB FIT, and Greek nonfat yogurt with frozen blueberries.
Science says: Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandburg, and many others famously wore uniforms to conserve decision energy. Use this same hack for your meals: make fewer decisions about food each day. You shed a lot of mental load because you know you have a plan.
Pro tip: Keep a few fall back items handy (frozen meatballs, pasta and sauce, frozen chicken nuggets, etc.) for moments you need to pivot.
Pro tip: Because you shopped for the menu you created, you have flexibility when you don’t want to cook according to plan. You can choose something else on the menu plan without worrying if you have the ingredients. Easily make the swap and move on.
3. The Night Before Ritual
Do this: Set out clothes, pack part or all of the lunches/snacks (including yours!), get the coffee pot ready, and load backpacks and/or your bag and place near the door.
Science says: A Harvard study found nighttime prep reduces morning stress hormones by 37%.
Pro tip: Layer hacks when it makes sense. Remember that Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries I eat for breakfast? When I prep the night before, the blueberries are no longer frozen in the morning AND I get the benefit of blueberry juiciness in my yogurt. Frozen blueberries are cheaper than fresh, and they are always picked in season.
The Bigger Win: Energy for What Matters
These systems aren’t about perfection—they’re about being present. These systems reduce the number of decisions you need to make in the moment and free up mental load. This can help you connect with yourself, your kids, your partner, and your paw-fect four-legged friend at the end of the day.
You win by spending less mental energy on logistics and more on living the life you want.
Which systems do you already have in place? Which ones will you try?
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