Understanding how depletion progresses helps you recognize warning signs and intervene before hitting rock bottom.
Stage 1: Optimal Performance You're fresh, focused, and making quality decisions quickly. Complex analysis feels easy. You can weigh multiple factors and see creative solutions. This is typically your first 2-3 hours after proper rest.
Stage 2: Functional Depletion You're still making decent decisions but they take more effort. You might re-read emails before responding or take longer to choose between options. Quality remains good but speed decreases. Most people hit this stage by late morning.
Stage 3: Impaired Judgment Now you're struggling. Simple decisions feel overwhelming. You default to whatever's easiest: the usual lunch order, agreeing to requests you'd normally decline, procrastinating on anything complex. Analysis paralysis sets in. Welcome to most people's afternoons.
Stage 4: Decision Bankruptcy You've hit empty. Even tiny choices trigger irritation. You'll eat whatever's in front of you, buy whatever's advertised, agree to whatever stops the conversation. Your brain is in pure survival mode, preserving energy for true emergencies.
Most of us cycle through all four stages daily, which explains why: - Diet plans fail in the evening - Arguments happen after work - Online shopping peaks at night - Poor financial decisions cluster after long days