Is Decision-making Better at Night or in the Morning? 

The answer in short is…. Yes. You see, there are many factors to consider before making a decision. We went to the book of Faces :) and asked our audience what worked better for them and if they had any tips for the rest of us who are mid-decision. 

A.M.bitious decision-making. 

Melissa wrote in that her decision-making skills are fine tuned in the AM. She shared, “Morning for me, but only if I’m up before my kids. My will-power tank is full and I can make smart choices.”

Love that.  A will-power tank!  We certainly can agree that it's a bit easier when the kids are still sound asleep and we have those wee moments to ourselves in the early hours. 

Mid-morning mindfulness. 

A decision is probably only worth making if it is going to be a beneficial one. That said, there are a few in the camp of mid-morning for ideas and implementing choices. 

Jamie M., one of our brand ambassadors and vendors stated, “Mid morning...I've been up for a bit, had some coffee, prayer & meditation done, and a bit of food in my tummy.”  Love that she takes care of her needs first - physically and spiritually - before opting for an option to act on. 

 Nighttime Calm equals Confidence. 

Lucy opted for a nighttime routine for her very own reasons and preferences, “Night. In the morning I cannot think. After I’m fully awake, my brain speeds up to full steam ahead and trying to focus on one thought does not often occur. At night, after everyone is settled, my brain slows down enough I can focus better on one thing and focusing on the one thing will also help me fall asleep. So ya, long answer but night.”

Makes sense to us.  At Apele, we have different women with very different lifestyles and schedules.  That said, one person’s morning can be filled with our children’s hockey schedule and travel, while another find brainstorming mid-morning to be her sweet spot right after her cup of keto coffee first thing. 

Then, of course, there are the women who share that it all depends. Krissy S. writes, “I’d say it honestly depends on when the problem is presented. If it happens earlier in the day then after I’ve had time to do my research and bounce ideas off whoever (typically my husband); I’ll come up with something at night. If it happens later in the day then I’ll have a chance to sleep on it and then wake up with a plan.”

Sounds like a solid decision-making strategy to us!  Especially the bounce-off bonus!  Brilliant!

Lastly, there is always those who seem unfazed and can quickly act no matter the circumstances or time of day.  Brittany L. offered, “I don’t think for me it matters. There are some things I impulse decision make on and some things I need to think for a bit on it. If I think too long then I know my answer should be no. Day or night doesn’t matter.”

What a concept!  We really appreciate the sentiment that if we have to think too long about it, it is likely a “no”.  It isn’t to say that some decisions are massive and need a great deal of time and discernment, however, if it is something that perhaps you are trying to convince yourself of or justify, then we can totally opt for a “no” at that time and move along until it feels like a no-brainer. 

Ultimately, you’ll want to make decisions at a time that feels ideal for you and finding out when that is may take some experimenting.  Maybe try it on for size with some less critical things like what to wear for a day or when to plan dinner (last minute or meal-prep-style early in the week).  These areas can give you insight into whether you made your decisions better at a specific time of day and under respective circumstances.  (Were you hungry or satiated?  Tired or alert?) 

There’s no wrong way… just better ways, always.  Find what works BEST for you and get to making decisions that honor you and your goals. 

Got feedback of your own?  Tips, even?   Do share! We would love to hear from yo in the comments or posts below!