Write the goal in one sentence, choose three criteria, and eliminate options that fail a genuine must-have. Compare the remaining choices on the same basis. Stop researching when additional information is unlikely to change the decision.
A practical way to explore it
Write down the job the decision needs to accomplish. Identify two important criteria and one deal-breaker, then compare a short list using those same criteria. For example, when choosing a weekend activity, start with available time, travel distance, and who wants to join. You can expand the list if nothing meets the requirements. A short list is a tool for this decision, not a rule that fewer choices are always better.
Keep the interpretation in context
Attention, workload, stress, and the complexity of the choice can affect how effortful deciding feels. Rather than assuming a universal rule, notice your own pattern. For important decisions, choose a time and setting in which you can assess the options carefully.
Sources and further reading
- [Choice overload meta-analysis](https://doi.org/10.1086/651235)
- [Choice complexity research abstract](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19766972/)