What I’ve Learned About Decision Fatigue (Mostly the Hard Way) — And What I Do About It in Hiring

Let’s be real, founders don’t run on caffeine.

We run on an avalanche of decisions.

Some hit like meteors...

“Are we pivoting the whole company or is this just a Tuesday meltdown?”

Others feel microscopic...

“Do I like this button in pale sage or mint drizzle?”

But your brain doesn’t care.

Every decision, urgent or absurd, drains your mental energy.

That’s decision fatigue.

And it wrecks your hiring process.

⚠️ Why Tired Brain = Terrible Hiring

When your brain’s fried, it defaults to:

Saying “no” just because it’s easier than “yes”

Missing obvious red flags, or radioactive green ones

Grabbing onto biases (“They said ‘growth mindset’? Hired!”)

Avoiding decisions entirely because your soul is leaking out your ears

And it’s not just a theory.

Neuroscience backs it: the more clutter you’re managing, the worse your judgment gets.

So if you're doing interviews at 5 PM...

You’re not evaluating.

You’re surviving.

🧠 Here’s How I Fight Back

When I help founders build hiring systems, I assume one thing:

They’re mentally toasted.

So we build in safeguards:

Only Morning Interviews

You wouldn’t pitch investors at 8 PM, don’t risk hiring on a drained brain either.

Post-Interview Cooldown

A 5-minute reset after each call separates real insight from hangry gut judgments.

Bias Disruptors

Structured scorecards steer you off autopilot. “Just didn’t vibe” is bias, not data.

📌 The Actual Takeaway

If your hiring process assumes you’re sharp all day...

It’s setting you up to fail.

Structure helps, but only if it protects your energy too.

Because no one builds a dream team with a melted frontal lobe.

Guard your mind like you guard your equity.

📣 Want My Interview Loop Blueprint?

DM me “DECISION”