The Health & Productivity Benefits of
Limiting Your Choices
by www.Sedona.com On the surface, most people would agree that having options is a good thing. It’s America after all, and here people value their freedom, a key part of which is having the ability to choose. Where do you want to buy your next car? It’s up to you. Need a nanny? You get to hire the one you want. What’s for dinner? You tell me. Yet, choices, by their very nature, can be confusing. They bring up things to consider, decisions must be made, and sometimes the right decision isn’t obvious. A tough choice, for all of the variety it offers, can easily bring on stress, anxiety, fear, and, in the worst cases, regret. "The presumption is, self-determination is a good thing and choice is essential to self-determination," says Barry Schwartz, PhD, a Swarthmore College psychologist and author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less. "But there's a point where all of this choice starts to be not only unproductive, but counterproductive -- a source of pain, regret, worry about missed opportunities and unrealistically high expectations." The Downside of Too Many Choices Interestingly, studies have shown that while people think they like having a lot of choices, it actually causes them to make poor decisions or avoid the decision altogether. One such study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that when shoppers were offered jams from a small (6 flavors) or large (24 flavors) assortment, they showed more interest in the larger assortment of jams. However, when it came to actually choosing and purchasing a jam, shoppers were 10 times more likely to choose a jam from the smaller assortment than the larger. Similarly, students were more likely to write an optional class essay if a list of six choices was offered, as opposed to a list of 30 choices. The students even reported being more satisfied and writing better essays when their options were more limited. The same thing happened with investment options. The researchers analyzed retirement-fund choices of 800,000 employees, who were offered packages of two to 59 choices. They found: • When given two choices, 75 percent participated
• When given 59 choices, only 60 percent participated
• The more choices available, the more cautious employees were with their investment strategies
In short, having too many options can be maddening. When the choice is simple (what type of apple to buy), it can be tough enough, but add on to that a serious decision (what type of health insurance coverage to choose) and it can be paralyzing. How to Limit Your Choices, and Feel Good About the Ones You do Make So how does one limit their choices, even when a seemingly endless array of options exists? According to Schwartz, a strategy known as “satisficing” works wonders. This involves choosing the first option that fits what you’re looking for, and not worrying about going through every other option that may be available (which is known as “maximizing”). Schwartz conducted a 2002 study that, in fact, found that people who try to maximize are more likely to be depressed, to compare themselves to others in a negative way, and to feel regret than those who decided to “satisfice.” If you’re still having a hard time choosing the first option that seems good to you (and absolving yourself of any blame or regret, should the option not work out), The Sedona Method is an ideal tool to help. The Method is scientifically proven and consists of a series of questions that, upon asking yourself, lead you to release negative emotions like regret, shame, blame or guilt. Best of all, you can use The Sedona Method anywhere and it works instantly, so you’ll feel free and confident to make a decision without burdening yourself with too many choices (and without any worry or regret). Sources:
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2000 Dec;79(6):995-1006
American Psychological Association
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