Choice Overload

Hi,

This week's email is about a key reason we sometimes struggle to make decisions.

Here are the key practical points you should know (mainly from this research article):

• We often assume that having more options to choose from is better.

• Having multiple options can have some benefits, like increasing our sense of control.

• Having too many available options can also cause choice overload, which makes it harder to choose and reduces our satisfaction after choosing. This is also called the tyranny of choice.

• As an example, when buying food, it's generally easier and more satisfying to choose from 3 similar products than from 24.

To put this into practice, ask yourself: where could having fewer options make decision-making easier and better, for you or someone else? Then, see if you can reduce the number of options accordingly.

For some related tips, see my articles on why it’s hard to make decisions and how to choose despite that.

As always, I'm happy to hear your thoughts.

Have a great week,
Itamar