American writer Michael Lewis spent time with President Obama.  One of the most interesting things that comes out of his report is Obama’s attitude towards decision making.

“He had very self-consciously sought to eliminate all trivial decision-making from his life, such as what he wears to work,” Lewis tells NPR’s Renee Montagne about his interviews with the president for his piece in the October issue of Vanity Fair. “So, he says, ‘I got rid of all the clothes I have except for gray suits and blue suits, so I don’t even have to think about what I put on.'”

Why? The president “started talking about research that showed the mere act of making a decision, however trivial it was, degraded your ability to make a subsequent decision,” Lewis says. “A lot of … the trivial decisions in life — what he wears, what he eats — [are] essentially made for him.”

Lewis could be describing a good Epicurean.  Pace yourself, prioritize, don’t get forever bogged down in detail, but concentrate on what matters.  That way you can make wise decisions.   Epicureanism stands for a measured way of life.