Today’s post is about decision making. The ability to make decisions fairly quickly and not regret them is a key productivity skill. Of course, we make decisions all the time; some easy ones, some hard ones, some that don’t even feel like decisions. In that last group are decisions that are simple because there is not much choice, probably only two. Brush my teeth or not? Attend the meeting or not? Wear raincoat or not?
One would think that having a larger number of options to choose between makes life easier, but it generally makes decision making harder. It also makes decision making much more time consuming because you need to review each option. If there are lots of options, your expectation of getting something really great, be it a vacation, a bottle of wine or cat food, is correspondingly higher. If you have few options, write an article or don’t, your decision making is easier. Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, has some great examples in this interview.
Some people wait until the last minute to make decisions because they’re overwhelmed, but this strategy also works because at the last minute, many options are closed, so the decision making is simpler (if more costly). To keep your sanity in a world of ever increasing choices, devise some strategies of your own.
1. Pick a number.
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Decide that you will spend 20 minutes researching your article, then you’ll start writing.
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Decide that you’ll look at 5 digital cameras before you settle on one to buy.
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Or decide how much money you’re willing to spend, which will weed out a lot of choices for you.
2. Make some pre-decisions.
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If you’re looking for a new PDA, decide that you will consult one source, a knowledgeable friend or trusted website, and buy what they recommend.
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Patronize a favorite store or manufacturer.
3. Focus on the result.
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Once you decide, move forward. Start using the PDA. Start writing the article. Don’t look back.
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Remember that no matter how many options you consider, you will have left out some, so any decision you make is the best you can do right now.
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There’s a new decision coming down the pike; you don’t have time to revisit previous decisions.
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