
Cozy Yoga Life by Shannon Caldwell
Welcome to Cozy Yoga Life, the podcast for yoga teachers who crave more from their practice and lives. Join us as we embark on a journey beyond the physical postures, exploring the depth and richness of yoga through authentic conversations infused with warmth and wisdom.
In each episode, cozy up as we delve into the art of intentional living, navigate the intricacies of introspection, and craft a holistic approach to well-being that is infused with simplicity and balance. Whether you're a seasoned yoga teacher or just stepping onto the path, Cozy Yoga Life is your sanctuary for exploring the intersection of yoga and real-life challenges.
Tune in, unwind, and let Cozy Yoga Life satisfy your craving for more—more authenticity, more simplicity, and more richness in every facet of your yoga journey.
Cozy Yoga Life by Shannon Caldwell
Tired of Deciding? Here’s What Helps, Cozy Yoga Life Ep 21
Feel like your brain is constantly running in the background, even when you're doing nothing? You might be dealing with decision fatigue, and in midlife, it hits differently.
In this episode, I’m talking about what decision fatigue really is, how it drains us (mentally, emotionally, even physically), and the small, mindful ways I’ve learned to reduce it. We’ll talk about capsule wardrobes, go-to meals, cozy rituals, and how yoga philosophy helped me create more ease in my daily choices. If you’re tired of being tired, this one’s for you, Cozy Crew.
Mentioned in this episode:
Connect with me:
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel
- Send me a DM on Instagram
- Follow me on TikTok
- Visit Cozy Yoga Life
- Join the Insiders Circle
I am Shannon Caldwell, and this is Cozy Yoga Life. I've spent the last 25 years living and teaching yoga, and I'm here to help you bring that wisdom into your daily life with clarity, comfort, and always a dash of coziness. Welcome back, Cozy Crew. This episode is for anyone who's ever stood in the kitchen at 6:00pm, staring into the refrigerator, wondering what to make for dinner. Or standing in your closet, unable to pick an outfit and defaulting to the same thing you wore yesterday. That's not indecision, that's actually decision fatigue. And if you're in midlife like me, you may have noticed it hits even harder. The mental tabs never seem to close. There's family, work, health, meals, caregiving, even what to wear or when to rest. It's like your brain is always buffering. Today we're gonna talk about what decision fatigue really is, how it sneaks up on us, and how we can gently reduce its grip through small mindful shifts. What is decision fatigue? It is exactly what it sounds like. Your brain is getting tired from making too many choices. It's not about being lazy. It's not a lack of willpower. It's a natural response to mental overload. Every day we make hundreds, really, thousands of decisions. Some are big, like how to respond to a tricky email or manage a family issue. Others are small, like whether to have tea or coffee, check this notification now or later. But they all require energy. Eventually your decision making battery runs low, and once it's strained, even a simple question like"what to eat" can feel overwhelming. How many decisions do we really make each day? Some estimates suggest adults make over 200 decisions a day just about food. When you add in all of the micro choices, what to wear, when to check your phone, how to respond to that email, it adds up fast. While the exact number isn't clear, productivity experts and research suggest it can be up to tens of thousands daily and each one takes a little bite out of your energy and focus. Many of those decisions are so small we don't even notice them, like what spoon to grab or which side of the bed you slide out of, but they stack up until you snap at your partner, zone out on your phone, or burst into tears over an empty fridge. In midlife, this seems to become even more complex. We're not just making decisions for ourselves. We're often the ones making or managing them for everyone else: kids, coworkers, parents, partners, and if you're navigating perimenopause or menopause, that brain fog is real. Hormonal shifts can absolutely impact clarity, memory, and the ability to process decisions. And if you live with ADHD decision fatigue can be even more intense. Your brain may already be filtering tons of information and jumping between thoughts, which uses up your energy faster. Combine that with executive dysfunction, which is difficulty organizing, prioritizing, and starting tasks, and decision making can feel extra overwhelming. So how do you know when you're up against decision fatigue? Sometimes it's subtle. Other times it hits like a wall. Maybe you start putting off things, even little things, because choosing feels like too much. You feel snappy or more irritable than usual, especially when someone asks a question. You default to impulse choices, ordering, takeout, scrolling your phone, zoning out. Maybe you avoid thinking ahead because even planning feels like a chore. Or you freeze when faced with a decision that would normally feel simple. Again, it's not a weakness, it's a signal. Your brain is saying, I am maxed out for the day. And the sooner we notice those signs, the sooner we can offer ourselves a little compassion and a reset. For me. I know I'm rubbing up against decision fatigue when we're all sitting down to dinner and my husband wants to go over the next day's schedule, or talk about what meals we should plan. I smile and nod like I totally agree with him. While inside, my brain is absolutely not tracking. I used to fake my way through it, but now I'm learning to speak up. To say I can't make another decision right now. My brain is toast. I've still got other things on my mind. Just that little bit of honesty helps him understand where I'm at and helps me feel less alone inside of it. Then I slip into bed, put on some mindless TV, and just let my brain rest. I don't push through anymore. I've learned that's not helpful for anyone, least of all me. And it's not just at home. At work, I noticed decision fatigue hits hardest around 3:00 or 4:00 PM. My creativity's gone. My focus gets fuzzy and I'll catch myself just staring at the computer screen. If I get an email that needs a thoughtful response or a bit of research, I almost always flag it for the next day. And now I don't beat myself up about those red flags. I know what's going on. My brain is spent. Over the past few years, I've made intentional shifts to reduce decision fatigue. These calming defaults have removed friction and made a huge difference in my life. Choosing what to wear used to stress me out. I had plenty of clothes, but"nothing to wear." Now, I've created a capsule wardrobe, intentional, minimal, and full of pieces I actually feel good in. Everything works together. It's one less decision every morning. And one of my favorite benefits? Packing for vacation or work trips is so much easier. I just pull from the same few things I wear and love. No more overpacking or outfit stress. Another way I have reduced decision fatigue is through decluttering. Physical clutter leads to mental clutter, and you can't organize it. You have to reduce it. Decluttering is the ultimate tool in reducing decision fatigue. By getting rid of the extra, the duplicates, the worn out and stained, you're left with less items. Every cleared drawer, counter, and closet is one less decision I have to make in a day. That connection between physical clutter and mental clarity is what inspired my book, the Yoga of Decluttering. Another tool I rely on is meal routines. I think dinner is everyone's undoing. To help my husband and I avoid the dreaded what's for dinner dilemma. We keep a short list of go-to meals on the fridge. They're familiar, easy, and everyone likes them. I've also taken the guesswork out of breakfast. Breakfast used to be a rotation of carb heavy meals, but since menopause, I've needed more out of that first meal of the day. That's when I started making smoothies. They're nourishing, protein-packed and require no mental energy. Other rhythms I've adopted to help reduce decision fatigue: daily walks, stand-and-stretch breaks, and plenty of water throughout the day. These give my brain the break and boost it needs, helping me reset and reconnect with myself. At first, these things were conscious decisions. Over time, they became habits and now they feel like second nature. They give back energy instead of taking it away. Here are a few more simple, supportive ways to soften decision fatigue. Batch your decisions. Group your choices when you can. Set out clothes the night before. Plan your week's meal on Sundays. Write your to-do list the evening before. Every small pre-decision saves energy tomorrow. Create gentle defaults build. Go-to options in your day, a default lunch, a default outfit, a default way to relax in the evening. These remove the"what should I do?" loop that wears us out. Automate the basics, like subscriptions, repeat calendar blocks, recurring reminders. Anything that prevents a last minute scramble is a kindness to your future self. Know your energy rhythms. If your brain's sharpest in the morning, that's when you need to tackle creative or complex work. Save low effort tasks for your slower hours. Finally, let's look at decision fatigue through the yogic lense. Starting with Satya. Satya is the yogic practice of truthfulness in your thoughts, words, and actions. The more aligned you are with who and how you want to be, the easier your decisions become. Satya starts in your mind with the way you think about yourself. With whether or not you believe you matter. Because many of us, especially women, make decisions all day that go against what's best for us. We say yes when we mean no. We overextend, overcommit, and override. Practicing satya invites us to pause and ask, is this true for me? Is this action, this decision aligned with the way I wanna feel, the life I want to live? Next, let's look at Santosha, which is contentment. I had been practicing yoga for almost 10 years before I really understood what contentment meant for me. At 37, I was getting divorced again. Life hadn't turned out the way I imagined. I didn't have the family I thought I would. As I got closer to 40, I realized I had to find my own way. I had to be happy in my skin and in my life, not the one I was raised to expect. That's when I understood that contentment is an inside job, not something you earn or buy, or finally get right. It's something you build through small choices over time. These days, I can feel when I'm veering off that path. I know what throws me out of contentment and what brings me back. That awareness makes decisions so much easier because I know how I want to feel. So often decision fatigue isn't about too many choices. It's about too many voices. So if you've been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or just plain tired of making decisions, you're not alone. You're not broken. You're perfectly an imperfect human. And in midlife especially, there's often more responsibility and less time built in for those important resets. But you can create space. You can bring ease back into your day through small shifts like a default breakfast, a softer routine, or just letting something go. So ask yourself, where in my day do I face the most friction? And what's one decision I could simplify, automate, or let go of today? If this episode spoke to you, I'd love to hear what part landed the most. Come find me on Instagram or TikTok@theshannoncaldwell. Or reply to one of my weekly emails, I read everyone. You can also check out the smoothie recipe, capsule wardrobe post, or my book, The Yoga of Decluttering. Everything I share, it comes back to this: it's all yoga and it all counts. And if someone you love is struggling with decision overload, maybe send this episode their way. We could all use a little more clarity and a little less pressure. Thanks for being here, Cozy Crew. I'm so grateful to walk this real-life, mindful path with you. That wraps another episode of Cozy Yoga Life. Until next time, may you move with intention, rest with purpose, and live in alignment. Remember, it's all yoga. Be sure to check out the latest blog. Come say hi on Instagram.