Not Knowing What to Eat, Wear or Whether to Take An Umbrella Top the List of Micro-Decisions That Leave Brits Feeling Frazzled

Over half (55%) of Brits say it’s the small, everyday choices that cause the most stress, with 19% experiencing decision fatigue at least five times a week, often leaving mornings stressful and patience thin

Neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis shares his 5 Simple Hacks to Outsmart Decision Fatigue, including automating small choices, protecting your 9am edge and fuelling your brain right

The Daily Decisions Census was commissioned to mark the launch of Samsung UK’s new short film. ‘You and AI. As One: Same Day, Different Energy’, shows how AI-powered devices can ease everyday decisions, freeing your mind to focus on more of what you enjoy

LONDON, U.K. – 27 October 2025 – Small, everyday micro-decisions – from what to wear to what to cook – are quietly draining our mental energy and patience, leaving millions of Brits burnt out before the day has even begun, according to new research.

The Daily Decisions Census commissioned by Samsung reveals over half (55 per cent) of adults say it’s the small, repeated choices that cause the most stress, with 19 per cent experiencing decision fatigue at least five times a week – with the most common symptoms being tiredness (51 per cent), brain fog (45 per cent), and exhaustion (42 per cent).

By 11am, more than a quarter of adults (27 per cent) already feel mentally exhausted — with food, fashion and travel choices ranking among the most headache-inducing.

Neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis explains that decision fatigue – the mental exhaustion caused by making too many minor decisions – can quietly erode patience and focus throughout the day. He suggested humans only have the capacity to make a finite number of high-quality decisions per day before experiencing ‘decision burn out’. But allowing AI-powered devices to take low-level choices in the morning could help avoid this, reducing stress and the conflicts that come with it.

“We almost have a limit on the number of disciplined decisions we can make in a day, by relieving the burden of the small ones we can generate better outcomes in the long run throughout it. AI-powered home appliances can take control of the easy things that would otherwise use up precious brain power and unnecessarily contribute to cognitive fatigue – whether it’s a smart fridge that can tell you what recipes you can make based on its contents, or a smart watch waking you up at the ideal time based on your sleeping patterns and reminding you to rehydrate.

“The morning is when we make our best decisions, it is when the brain has had a full night’s rest, by relieving some of those decision-driven pinch points, we can protect our ‘9am edge’, make better decisions for the rest of the day and remove some of the pressure which can result in bickering.”

According to the research adults each make an average of 80 decisions every day, with 12 per cent describing themselves as ‘painfully’ indecisive. Choices including what to have for dinner based on what is in the fridge, what route to take to work or whether to take an umbrella outside all adding to ‘decision fatigue’.

The study also found over half of Brits (51 per cent) say they’d happily let AI take care of the small stuff, from deciding what to cook based on what’s in the fridge (41 per cent) to telling them the best time to leave the house (39 per cent).

Deborah Honig, Chief Customer Officer, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, said: “We all know the feeling of being worn down by the little things – the ‘what’s for dinner?’ moments, the forgotten laundry, the endless reminders. Our AI Home technology is designed to work in harmony with your home life – lightening the load of smaller, everyday decisions and freeing up time and headspace for the things that really matter.”

Neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis’ 5 Simple Hacks to Outsmart Decision Fatigue

One of the most overlooked causes of mental exhaustion is decision overload. What’s for breakfast? What route should I take for work? What setting should I wash this shirt on? These small, everyday choices can quickly pile up — especially when you’re tired or juggling a busy schedule — leaving your brain drained before the day has even begun.

1. Rehydrate before you caffeinate
Every morning we wake dehydrated and our brains pay the price. Those 86 billion neurons that normally fire messages at 250 mph slows right down as you exhale more and more water vapour over the course of the night, leaving you foggy, slow and cranky. A simple rule to kickstart your brain and feel alert in the morning: hydrate first, caffeinate later to get all those neurons talking to each other properly.

Even better, smart home reminders can nudge you to rehydrate before you caffeinate – protecting your energy, your focus and your mood.

2. Automate the minor things
Studies show the more decisions we make, the more our brains default to the easy or familiar option. That’s because the brain’s insula – the bit that creates the sense of mental effort – gets overactive after a long run of choices. It’s why world leaders get others to decide their breakfasts and outfits, saving brainpower for bigger calls.

For the rest of us, AI-powered tech can do the same. It helps ‘cognitively offload’ everyday low-level decisions- from adjusting lighting and syncing calendars to even suggesting meals based on what’s in your fridge – so your brain stays sharp for the things that really matter.

3. Cool your brain to wake up sharper
Our brain needs to drop around 1°C to fall asleep properly. A smart thermostat or climate control system can help maintain an optimum temperature of 16–19°C, to prevent interruptions that leave you feeling groggy when you wake up. By automating these small but essential comfort decisions, you take one more micro-decision off your plate.

4. Protect your 9am edge
Decision fatigue doesn’t just make us tired; it shortens our fuse. The more decisions we make in each day, the worse our decision making becomes. That’s why it’s so important to make mornings run themselves. Remove the little choices and you’ll walk out the door more alert, calm and ready to tackle the day – rather than exhausted and cranky by 9am.

Try these Samsung AI Home hacks to help take some morning decisions off your plate:

• Get breakfast inspiration from your fridge based on its contents, even tailored to any dietary needs
• Reduce your washing machine’s energy use and save money with SmartThings AI Energy mode[1]
• Get a nudge on the best time to leave the house to avoid traffic
• Build your shopping list – from adding missing recipe ingredients to showing the best-value supermarket

5. A berry good start

When your brain is low on fuel, even tiny decisions feel harder. A sweet, simple way to fuel your brain for smarter, sharper mornings is by loading up on berries like blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.

Packed with antioxidants called flavonoids, they help protect your brain cells from damage, reduce inflammation and support memory and focus. Perfectly paired with porridge – a great source of slow-release carbohydrates – which slowly releases glucose into your bloodstream to keep your neurons energised throughout the morning.

With cameras inside the fridge that mean you live view what’s inside at any time from your phone[2], Samsung AI-powered tech makes it easy to stay stocked with the foods that keep your brain firing – no extra thinking required.

Top Headache-Inducing Decisions

• What to wear for the day (e.g., based on the weather)
• What to have for breakfast
• What to have for dinner based on what’s in the fridge and dietary needs
• Whether to take an umbrella/coat
• Whether you need to do the washing
• When to do the food shop
• Whether to have another hot drink
• What’s the ideal time to wake up
• What to pack in lunch boxes
• What route to take to work/meeting/school

The 10 Decisions Brits Would Like AI To Take Off Their Hands

• What to cook for dinner based on what’s in the fridge and dietary needs
• What time to leave the house to avoid traffic
• What ingredients I need to buy for a recipe
• When to start the laundry/dishwasher at the cheapest energy time
• The best washing machine setting to use based on the clothes I’m washing
• Reminding me when to water the plants
• Reminding me if food in the oven is burning
• Reminding me of school and/or work commitments
• When to adjust the heating/aircon based on the temperature
• What bins need to go out

[1] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

[2] SmartThings app required, available on Android & iOS. Internet connection & Samsung account required.