Hey there! 👋🏻
Have you ever opened Netflix, ready to watch a movie, only to spend the next 20 minutes scrolling through titles? You read the descriptions, watch the trailers, check the ratings, and wonder if there's something better. Then suddenly, it's bedtime. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? 😂
You wanted to relax, not audition 15 movies for the role of Tonight's Entertainment.
And it's not just Netflix. What should we eat? Which shoes should we buy? Which restaurant should we try? We have so many options at our fingertips that even the simplest decisions can feel like work.
Why does having more choices sometimes make life harder?
Psychologists call this choice overload. A 2015 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology examined 99 observations involving more than 7,200 participants. It found that having more options can make choosing harder under certain conditions, especially when decisions are complex or we're unsure what we want.
Think about it. We're not just choosing a movie. We're trying to find the best movie, because our free time is precious and we don't want to waste it. The more options we consider, the more opportunities we have to second-guess ourselves.
Now imagine doing that all day, from answering emails to deciding what's for dinner. No wonder we sometimes reach the end of the day feeling mentally exhausted!
So, how do we make decisions less stressful?
Here are a few things to try:
1. Give yourself fewer options.
Instead of scrolling through every available movie, pick three and choose from those. The same goes for shopping. Decide what you need before browsing, and stick to your must-haves.
2. Set a time limit.
Not every decision deserves a full investigation. Give yourself five minutes to choose dinner or a little longer to pick a movie. If it's a low-stakes decision, it's okay to go with your first reasonable choice.
3. Create default routines.
Having a few go-to meals, work outfits, or grocery staples means you don't have to reinvent the wheel every day. Save your decision-making energy for things that genuinely matter to you.
4. Stop chasing the perfect choice.
Sometimes, a good choice is good enough. You don't need the best movie ever made to enjoy your evening. You just need one you like.
And when your brain feels like it has 37 tabs open, take a little pause. Step away from your screen, stretch, or take a few slow breaths. A familiar scent, like Oleia Lavender Oil, can also become part of a calming ritual that helps you mark a moment of downtime.
We can't eliminate decisions, but we can make some of them easier. Life already gives us plenty to think about. We don't have to turn every little choice into a research project. 😉
So tonight, pick a movie, press play, and enjoy it. No further auditions required!
Show me your bottle and I'll show you mine? 'Til next time! ☺️
xo, L.
Reference:
https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/j.jcps.2014.08.002