Are you suffering from 'analysis paralysis'?

Overcome decision dread

Struggling to decide what to cook for dinner each night, or even what to watch on TV? You might be suffering from a case of analysis paralysis. Here’s what you need to know about overcoming decision dread. 

Deciding what to cook up (or order) for dinner used to be one of the most appealing aspects of adulthood to our younger selves. The freedom of choosing what we could eat, along with what we could wear, watch and our respective bedtimes, were things we once fantasised about. 

But if someone were to swoop in today and take away my ability to choose how and when I approached these mundane tasks, I wouldn’t protest in the slightest. Because as fun as curating every aspect of your life may be in the beginning, it can quickly become time-consuming, exhausting, and increasingly overwhelming – especially when you’re the member of your household taking the brunt of the decision workload. 

Left unchecked, the mental load associated with decision-making – both mundane and critical – can lead to “analysis paralysis,” TikTok’s latest trending phrase. 

What is analysis paralysis?

As the name suggests, analysis paralysis is the feeling of total overwhelm associated with making a decision, rendering a person almost ‘frozen’ in their ability to proceed. 

“This can happen when the brain is overloaded, and overstimulated, coupled with the fear of making the wrong decision,” explains board-certified psychiatrist Sasha Hamdani in a video.  

Of course, it goes without saying, that having too many choices for breakfast, or too many outfit options for work is a marker of immense privilege. But instead of feeling grateful and excited by the prospect of endless choices, many people are instead feeling overwhelmed, putting off their ability to choose entirely. 

A form of overthinking, analysis paralysis is a phenomenon commonly experienced by people with ADHD and OCD, but as Dr Hamdani explains, anyone dealing with heightened stress or anxiety is also likely to find their decision-making abilities are impacted. 

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♬ original sound - Sasha Hamdani MD

From what to cook for dinner, pack for lunch and prep for breakfast each day to the Netflix choice of the evening, we’re confronted with hundreds of small, accumulating decisions every day, each with its own plethora of options. 

We’re lucky enough to live in a time and country where almost everything is accessible for the right price. Feel like watching a rom-com movie? You likely have multiple streaming services to your name with hundreds of titles to choose from. Have a craving for something sweet in the morning? Eat in, eat out or order any treat you want on your way to work. 

The never-ending series of choices with countless options attached to each, coupled with an innate fear of making a ‘bad decision’ is what drives many to feel paralysed in their ability to complete simple everyday tasks. 

Of course, it goes without saying, that having too many choices for breakfast, or too many outfit options for work is a marker of immense privilege. But instead of feeling grateful and excited by the prospect of endless choices, many people are instead feeling overwhelmed. 

We’re confronted with hundreds of small, accumulating decisions every day. Image: iStock

How to combat analysis paralysis

While it’s easy to understand why someone might experience decision paralysis in a life-or-death situation, being completely and utterly overwhelmed at the prospect of making breakfast is not something we should be normalising. 

Left unchecked, analysis paralysis could impact your drive and efficiency at work – preventing you from reaching personal and career goals – and severely undermine your ability to trust your own instinct. Here are some expert-approved tips to help overcome analysis paralysis before it begins to impede your ability to make crucial decisions in life. 

#1. Limit the choices you give yourself

While it may seem difficult from the outset, the best way to control feeling overwhelmed by too many options is to enforce some limits on your choices. Rather than stare at the fridge for two hours trying to decide between 20 dinner ideas, boil it down to three tried and tested choices.

“Your brain doesn’t like being stuck in between a multitude of different options,” says Dr Hamdani. “Give it two, three, four choices max.”

Tackling analysis paralysis with the help of a professional. Image: Pexels

#2. Set a deadline for your decision

If your school exams taught you anything, it’s that your brain actually works pretty well under pressure, prioritising certain decisions in the nick of time. Dr Hamdani recommends applying a deadline to every decision – big and small – to help encourage the brain to work through analysis paralysis. This could be as simple as setting a five-minute timer to make breakfast. 

#3. Seek a quiet place

Overstimulation can make even the most mundane, simple decisions feel impossible, so in moments of analysis paralysis, experts recommend seeking a quiet place to reflect and take a breather. 

#4. Seek  professional advice

If you feel like you aren’t able to get a grip on your analysis paralysis alone and are beginning to see the ways in which it is impacting your everyday life, it may be time to talk to a therapist or healthcare professional. They are likely to help you address the root of your decision paralysis, whether it be stress or anxiety-related or a symptom of ADHD or OCD.

Originally published as Are you suffering from 'analysis paralysis'?