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Estimate twice, decide once
When it comes to decisions, conduct whatever research you need to and make your estimate — and then go through the whole thing again, generating a second estimate. Take the average of the two estimates, and you’ll likely make a better decision than you would if you used either on its own.
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Mental time travel
A common decision-making problem is failing to have enough imagination with regards to what could go wrong or falling victim to simple overconfidence.
Envision the future. There’s evidence that this exercise can broaden your outlook and highlight problems that might not come to ...
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1.05K reads
Don’t make an important decision
... when you're hungry, or sleepy, or angry.
Research has shown that our susceptibility to bias increases when we’re stressed, whether because of exhaustion, hunger, or a heightened emotional state.
Delaying a crucial decision, if possible, might be pre...
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617 reads
Use a “planning prompt”
When it comes to situations where the benefits of a good decision lie in the future (reduced weight) but compelling temptations to make bad decisions are all too present (nachos), writing down a specific plan of attack can be helpful.
It can help decision-makers avoid f...
183
669 reads
Decide in advance
For a wide range of decisions involving self-restraint, there’s pretty overwhelming evidence that most people are bad at making healthy in-the-moment choices.
Decide well in advance of the moment when those decisions will take effect. Present You, at the supermarket after a me...
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654 reads
Decision making and biases
Experts have known for a while that our decision-making processes are flawed — and often in predictable ways. We easily succumb to all sorts of biases that prevent us from making smart choices.
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899 reads
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A good decision-maker doesn't dwell on small choices
While it’s worth taking time to settle larger decisions, don’t expend too much time and energy on the small stuff.
And don’t stress about the quality of your decision-making on these small choices either. Although the term decision fatigue — i.e., the more...
Do the most important thing first
Decisions and choices that you make throughout the day tend to drain your willpower. You're less likely to make a good decision at the end of the day than you are at the beginning.
If you do the most important thing first, then you’ll never have a day when you didn’t get something im...
Never Miss Twice
The goal is to do it every day (if possible) but if you miss a day, you must do the habit the following day.
Pros:
- Easier to keep up for longer stretches with harder habits.
- Easier to handle on an irregular schedule.
Cons:
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