More Options Equals Less Freedom
Have you ever realized that when you're faced with a multitude of options to choose from, a certain degree of paralysis can kick in and it inhibits your decision-making? With so many choices, how do we know for sure we're making the right one?
This is the paradox of choice. That is, the more freedom we have, the less is actually present, at least in a personal sense.
This phenomenon can manifest itself in large and small ways. Here's an example all of us can relate to: when we were children and we were told we could pick any box of cereal at the grocery store (just one, though!) There were so many to pick from yet we had to make a single choice. If you were like me, you probably spent the rest of the trip at the grocery store contemplating in your little eight year-old mind whether we made the right decision. The same thing happens in clothing shops, bookstores, bars and restaurants, tech stores, basically everywhere where consumerism runs rampant.
On a more significant scale, the paradox of choice becomes easier to see. We struggle to pick a vacation destination; we’re hunting for houses or apartments and we don’t know which to opt for; or that moment in college where one finally has to declare their major and literally be anything they want (this is a big one). Basically, when are presented with a variety of options, the result is more anxiety instead of an increased sense of freedom (credit here goes to Mark Manson in his book Everything is F*cked). There comes a point when too many choices yields diminishing returns.
The remedy to this is to limit ourselves on the options we have.
Keep your fridge and pantry down to the bare essentials so that you're not overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of it all. Keep your wardrobe minimalist so as to save time in deciding what to wear. Keep one book on your desk and finish it instead of alternating between five.
One of my preferred methods of eliminating options is keeping the home screen on my phone clean. Before, I had pages of apps just staring me in the face, begging to be opened. Naturally, this meant I would automatically switch between them every time I returned to the main screen, which led to a lot of lost time. Now, I wiped everything and I only keep my music and audiobook apps there. Since doing that, I have legitimately noticed less lost time on my phone and clearer experience when navigating my device.
Choice can be massively beneficial. Like all things in life, though, too much of a good thing isn't such a good thing. The lesson here is to be intentional with what you choose to choose. If it's a regular part of your life, make sure that it's affecting (and preferably benefitting) you in precisely the degree that you want, and not that you're merely a victim of it.
Thanks for reading,
Alan
Additional Resources
A short animated video that explains more about the paradox of choice.
An article by Barry Schwartz, author of the original book on the paradox of choice.
My Etsy shop, which recently launched. This is where I’ll be selling my digital prints and images.
Social Media
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Twitter (I’m going to try and publish little food for thought tidbits on here)
Website (check out my shop, my recommended reading list, and donation page)
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