Why You Shouldn’t Go Grocery Shopping Hungry

And why you need to check your professional decisions for bias.

We can probably all agree that we make poor decisions when we grocery shop hungry or tired. That delicious chocolate, bag of chips or croissant you suddenly must buy.

In that moment, you aren't in control. Your biology is.

But at work, we are different. Once we sit at our desks, we lead with a rational, objective mind and make decisions based on pure logic. Right? Wrong. The reality is that regardless of your seniority, experience or job, your ability to make high-quality decision can be hijacked by the very same biology.

THE INSIGHT: Your Brain Is Trading Impact for Ease & Speed 

When you've been running meetings back-to-back, de-prioritised your lunch break, or spent your morning putting out fires, your mental software is running on low power - mode. To save energy, your brain shuts down its most energy-expensive programs: strategic foresight, empathy, and complex problem-solving. 

We stop seeking the optimal solution and start seeking the fastest relief.

It manifests as:

  • Conflict Avoidance: Postponing a necessary but difficult conversation or feedback
  • Reactive Communication: Sending a thoughtless e-mail or hasty slack reply to end a discussion rather than resolve the root cause
  • Settling: Approving a mediocre proposal today without fully assessing the risks


YOUR REWIRE: Checking Your Bias 

The Take-away? To stay in command, treat your biological state as a prerequisite for any major decision. Before you commit or decide, run this 30-second audit

#1 ASK YOURSELF:

Is this the right move, or is my mental software just tired and looking for an exit?

Am I confident I will make the same choice at 9:00 AM after a full night of sleep? 

If the answer to any of these is "maybe", the decision is likely being driven by depletion, not mastery. 


#2 REBOOT YOUR SYSTEM 

If your system is at its limit, take five minutes. 

A protein snack or a quick walk isn't slacking. It's a critical pause that provides the fuel needed to move from low-power mode back to high-impact leadership.

#3 STRESS-TEST THE URGENCY

Very few decisions must be made at this very moment. 

If the decision-making involves others and the room feels reactive, rescheduling the final decision for the next morning isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign of executive command. It ensures the team is operating on full bandwidth rather than just trying to survive the meeting.

THE SCIENCE: Your Mental Software on Low-Power Mode

Some of the mechanisms involve:

  • Decision Fatigue: Every choice you make drains your battery. By mid-afternoon, your software enters low-power mode to stay online. Studies indicate this leads to a measurable drop in choice quality as the system prioritizes ease over excellence (Levav & Danziger, 2011).

  • The Stress Hijack: Under pressure, your system locks the door to your logical center (think of it as your wise director). It forces you to run old legacy code because they are easier to run than new, creative ideas (Arnsten, 2009).

  • The Hunger Glitch: When you are hungry, your software loses its ability to filter impulses. Research shows that as glucose drops, the brain favors immediate rewards over long-term strategy (Danziger et al., 2011). You stop calculating ROI and start looking for the quickest win.


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