Make Faster Holiday Decisions (Even With ADHD Decision Fatigue)

21 Oct

The pressure is building, and the decisions won’t stop. Let’s make this easier.

Your brain is already full, isn’t it?

Do we go away or stay home this year?
Which gifts are left to buy?
Did I RSVP to that event?
Is it too late to hire help?
What was I supposed to be doing right now?

If your brain is spinning, you’re not alone.
The lead-up to the holidays is peak decision season.
And for ADHD brains, that means overthinking season.

Why decision fatigue hits ADHDers harder

Everyone deals with too many choices.
But ADHD brains process those choices differently.

Here's why decision fatigue is more intense when you’re neurodivergent:

  
      What’s Happening
      Why It Hits ADHDers Differently
    
      Too many open loops
      Your brain struggles to close tasks without urgency
    
      Emotions are high around the holidays
      ADHD brains feel emotional intensity more deeply
    
      Executive function is under pressure
      You can’t easily prioritise or sequence steps
    
      You’re trying to make the perfect choice
      Perfectionism hijacks decision-making
    
      You’ve been masking or people-pleasing all year
      You’re emotionally and mentally exhausted already

These aren't character flaws.
They’re patterns created by a brain trying to protect you from overwhelm, but accidentally creating more of it in the process.

Sound familiar?

Here are a few signs you’re in ADHD decision fatigue right now:

You’ve left tabs open for days, trying to pick the right gift
You’ve drafted messages but haven’t sent them
You’re overwhelmed by the number of “small things”
You keep thinking, “I just need to get on top of everything first”
You’re spending more time thinking about the decision than making it

Five ADHD-friendly ways to make decisions faster

These tools aren’t about pushing harder.
They’re about reducing the pressure on your brain so you can actually choose.

1. Use the 5-minute decision timer

Set a timer for five minutes.
Ask yourself: “If I had to decide right now, what would I pick?”

Why it works: ADHD brains respond well to mild urgency and external structure. The timer creates both.

2. Switch from “best” to “good enough”

Instead of asking “What’s the best option?” try: “What’s good enough and low-stress for me right now?”

This lets you skip the perfectionism trap and choose based on your current capacity, not your ideal self.

3. Create a pre-decided list

When you’re in a calm state, make a short list of default decisions you can use later.

  
      Decision Type
      Pre-Decided Choice
    
      Gift idea
      Candle + card + handwritten note
    
      RSVP default
      “Sounds great, I’ll let you know closer to”
    
      Meal when tired
      Frozen dumplings + microwave rice
    
      Work priority order
      Client deadlines → Admin → Content

4. Externalise your decision spiral

Voice note it. Scribble it. Text it to a friend.
Getting the dilemma out of your head makes it easier to see what you’re actually trying to figure out.

Often the issue isn’t the decision itself, it’s the swirl around it.

5. Borrow someone else's brain

Sometimes all you need is someone to ask the right question or say,
“That sounds like enough.”

If you’re making decisions alone all the time, your brain never gets to rest.
Outsourcing even just a few decisions can change your whole capacity.

What decisions are draining you right now?

Here’s an example of a quick reflection table to check in:

  
      What’s hanging over you?
      How does it make you feel?
      Could this be simplified or delegated?
    
      Christmas shopping list
      Overwhelmed and behind
      Ask partner to buy for their side of the family
    
      Inbox full of unread emails
      Anxious and avoidant
      Have a VA triage and flag the important ones
    
      Planning holiday travel
      Stuck and indecisive
      Let someone else choose the dates or book it

Make your own and use it to spot where your energy is leaking, and where support could step in.

Let’s simplify your end-of-year choices

You do not need to make every decision alone.
You don’t need to wait until you’re in crisis mode to ask for help.
You’re allowed to choose ease before urgency shows up.

At Real Time VA, we help ADHDers organise, delegate, and reset, with support that meets you where your brain is at.

If decision fatigue is holding you back from getting ahead this season...