Issue 110: Learning To Choose
THE LEAP
BY QUANTUM ORANGE
GROW, EXPAND & EVOLVE
ISSUE 110 | LEARNING TO CHOOSE
Each week The (Quantum) Leap summarises a key aspect of success into what you need to Think, Feel and Do to create a personal shift.
Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.
~ Robert F. Bennett
THINK
From the moment we wake up each day, we’re engaged in making choices about all the detail in our lives. Most of us believe that having a choice, as long as it’s real, strengthens a sense of freedom and power.
Belief: Greater choice equals greater freedom.
In his book The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Barry Schwartz describes us as a society overwhelmed by choices. And instead of increasing our sense of wellbeing, the over abundance of choice is raising our anxiety levels. He found that instead of increasing decision satisfaction, having too many options made people less likely to be satisfied that they had made the best decision. While freedom is important, Schwartz explains that there’s a fine line between having the freedom to choose what you want and being paralysed in the face of too many options.
This paradox can occur any time we’re confronted with options, influencing all sorts of everyday decisions, from ordering a cup of coffee to picking out a pair of jeans. Facing overwhelming choices - even when the decision is trivial - can have negative consequences for our mental wellbeing.
Schwartz suggests we need to find the sweet spot between choice and overwhelm - that is, find a balance between not enough options and too many options.
- Do you think having more options gives you a sense of freedom?
- Does having more choices of what to buy increase your ability to find what you need (and also increase the satisfaction you have) with what you have bought?
- How much time do you think you spend researching and reading before buying online?
- Do you think you miss out on making choices altogether because the sheer number of options means you run out of time?
- Do you think the number of choices you have to make affects your ability to enjoy spontaneous moments or try something new?
FEEL
Begin with a self-check in:
- Do you sometimes feel like you just don’t have the mental bandwidth to make any more choices?
- When you are feeling this way, do you find it harder to exercise self-control with things like eating, drinking, exercising or shopping?
- Do you feel like you actually avoid making certain choices entirely?
- When you are feeling overwhelmed, do you tend to make choices that are not in line with your goals and values?
- Do you feel worried that the choices you make say something about who you are as a person? Does this make you feel even more pressure about making choices?
It’s important to stay aware of how you’re feeling without making yourself wrong. Be alert for signs of overwhelm and act accordingly: if you’ve had a demanding day that was filled with lots of choices, put off making another one if you can. If things that wouldn’t normally faze you start bothering you, consider it a sign that you may not be in the best state of mind to make any major choices.
This fatigue is more than just a feeling - it stems in part from changes in brain function. Research has shown that there’s a sweet spot for brain function when it comes to making choices. When people were asked to choose from sets of 6, 12 or 24 items, activity was highest in the parts of the brain which coordinate thinking, decision-making and impulse control, with the ‘right amount’ of choice. Turns out that was sets of 12 - not too little, not too much.
Uncertainty around making choices is common. The American Psychological Association’s ‘Stress in America’ Survey highlights a startling rise in everyday indecisiveness among Americans since the pandemic began. Nearly a third of adults find themselves wrestling with basic choices.
Sheena Iyengar, a renowned expert on choice-making, says that the pressure to make a ‘perfect’ choice stems from how much we associate our choices with our identity. She explains, “We burden ourselves with the question, ‘Who am I? And based on that, what do I want, and what should I choose?’ That’s a heavy load to carry.”
DO
Here are a few great tips to reduce decision fatigue in your daily life:
Next time you’re agonising over something as simple as what to buy, which shoes to wear, or what to cook - limit your choices to three options.
Limit the amount of time you give yourself to make the choice.
Make small choices immediately so you don’t leave the task of making the decision unfinished.
Find things you can make routine - this minimises the small choices you have to make each day. Include getting your clothes ready for each day the night before, prepping your meals, even choosing specific days and times for things like exercise, grocery shopping and seeing family.
Make some choices automatic - for example, when shopping have a master list of groceries.
Pace yourself - break up activities and give yourself time to rest and recover throughout the day.
For bigger picture choices, make sure you help yourself by getting good quality sleep. Roy Baumeister, a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland, notes, “Sleep restores energy, so you’re better able to face things. It’s not that those things are better in the morning — it’s that you’re better.”
When it comes to making challenging choices it can also be helpful to share your uncertainty or anxiety about the choice with someone you trust. Doing so gives you the opportunity to review your thinking and gain an additional perspective.
Read. Watch. Listen.
