The Hidden Advantage of Simple Wardrobes
Icons like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg became famous for their consistent outfits—Jobs with his black turtleneck and jeans, Zuckerberg in his gray hoodie and T-shirt. While it may look monotonous, there’s more to the story. According to Bob Pozen, an MIT lecturer and author of Extreme Productivity, we each make anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 decisions a day. Even something as small as picking out clothes can eat away at our mental reserves.
What Is Decision Fatigue?
Psychologists call this phenomenon decision fatigue. Social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister researched this idea, noting that our ability to make decisions wears down with every choice, much like a muscle that gets tired after repeated use. That’s why, after a long stretch of decision-making, it’s harder to make good choices.
A 2016 study reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people’s decision-making abilities drop off after hours of making choices. Brain scans pointed to reduced activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex—the area responsible for making solid decisions—when mental energy was drained.
Why Do Geniuses Repeat Outfits?
Steve Jobs employed this strategy intentionally. Filling his closet with identical black turtlenecks and jeans meant he never had to think about what to wear. According to his authorized biography by Walter Isaacson, Jobs said, “I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m wearing. I have multiple same jeans and black turtlenecks.”
He wasn’t alone. Albert Einstein was known for his simple gray suits, white shirts, and slip-on shoes, relying on familiar outfits to avoid wasting brainpower on clothing. Mark Zuckerberg has followed the same idea, and even Barack Obama reportedly kept his suit choices simple to minimize unimportant decisions and focus on major ones.
Streamlining these everyday choices is a common tactic among creative leaders. For them, it’s about keeping their minds free for innovations and important work—rather than for the contents of their closets.
Could This Work for You?
Experts suggest that reducing the number of daily decisions might help anyone manage their mental energy more efficiently. So the next time you’re staring down your wardrobe feeling indecisive, remember: simplifying your outfit might just be a small step toward a more productive and focused day. Who knows—you might unlock a bit more creative power, too!
