Decision-making 101
Modern life is fraught with decisions: Which of the 47 types of toothpaste should you buy this week? Which of the 100-odd channels on your TV will you watch tonight?
While we tend to think of choice as a sign of freedom and opportunity, it can indeed be a case of too much of a good thing. An overabundance of choice can be a source of stress.
This is especially true for people who usually research all of their options and who try to always make the best possible choice. It turns out that people who accept “good enough” may in fact be happier with their decisions.
A strategy for making choices
Try practising these decision-making strategies to help manage the stress you might feel from having too much choice. Not only can you become a better, more decisive decision maker, you may also find yourself feeling greater overall satisfaction in life.
- Let your needs guide you. Before making a decision, clearly list your needs. Let that list be your guide and starting point, rather than launching on an exhaustive survey of every available option. Avoid making a decision based on external factors.
- Seek recommendations. Narrow your options by gathering opinions from people you trust. For example, if your sister just bought a new DVD player you’ve admired, why not get the same model, rather than shop around? Streamline your shopping by frequenting one or two preferred stores that provide good service, instead of running all over town and doing extensive comparison shopping.
- Lower your expectations. Everything can’t be perfect all the time. Do a regular reality check by taking a few steps back from the choice at hand to gain some perspective.
- Look forward, not back. Once you make a decision, don’t look back with regret or second-guess your selection, or think about what you might be missing had you made a different choice. This can be a source of stress and can diminish your happiness.
- Maintain it in perspective. Unless you’re conducting brain surgery or rocket science, even a “wrong” decision isn’t likely to be irreparable. You can always change your mind, or try something different again. Sometimes it’s healthier to just make a choice and move on, rather than obsess about every possible outcome of your decision.