Why you should follow the example of Steve Jobs and get your own personal uniform

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Every day we have to make many decisions regarding both the choice of clothing and the fate of the business. And the more often we do this, the more we get tired, so that each next decision will no longer be as thoughtful as the previous one. But we know how to get rid of fatigue.

We make decisions every day. Starting from the very first - snooze the alarm or get up. And so all day. What to eat for lunch? When to leave work? Say something in a meeting or is it better to remain silent? Go to the gym or relax? Etc.

But here's the interesting thing: when you make decisions, you expend energy. If you make too many decisions in too short a period of time, you get tired.

Steve Jobs uniform

Known fact: Steve Jobs has always worn a black turtleneck, blue jeans and New Balance trainers. This became his signature style, personal uniform.

Jobs pondered the implementation of the uniform at Apple after a trip to Japan when Sony CEO Akio Morita told him that workwear promotes team cohesion.

However, Apple employees took the idea without enthusiasm. Moreover, they really hated the signature vests designed for them by designer Issey Miyake.

The company had to cancel the uniform, but Steve Jobs did not completely abandon the idea and ordered several hundred black turtlenecks for Miyake. Jobs himself explained his decision simply: uniforms are convenience and corporate identity. But beyond that, the head of Apple got rid of the need to choose what to wear every time.

What's more important: choosing a T-shirt or a new strategy for promoting the company? It turns out that Steve Jobs' matching outfit is just another simple decision he could have neglected to make Apple legendary.

By giving up small decisions, can you improve your ability to make decisions that really matter?

Yes, and very simple. You just need to get into habits and make actions automatic so that you don't have to choose anything.

How to avoid making small decisions

• Don't accumulate endless amounts of clothing. Choose a few T-shirts, sweaters, jeans and dresses and wear them in different variations. It's the same with shoes. The fewer things, the less choice.
• Make a menu for the week and purchase all the products. So you don't have to decide every day what to buy in the supermarket and what to cook for dinner.

• Schedule exercise at the same time. You won't have to think about when to go to workout. The calendar will tell you when.
• If you run a company or department, entrust the first level of solutions to your team. When your employees cope with the task, arrange a meeting, listen to them and make final decisions on all issues.

In fact, you can automate, outsource, or avoid about 80% of the decisions you make every day. The main thing is to remember that your ability to solve something is limited, and leave energy for the most important tasks.

Signs of decision fatigue

• You start to avoid making decisions.
• You cannot choose a solution.
• You lose control of things that you normally avoid easily, such as eating or drinking a lot.

If you don't feel like you have a lot of choices in your life, try a little experiment. During the day, write down all the decisions you have to make - big or small - it doesn't matter.

As a result, there will be several dozen, if not hundreds, solutions on the list. Look at them and think about which ones you can automate, delegate, or even exclude altogether.

You will make fewer decisions, but they will be much better.