A632.2.3.RB - Sheena Iyengar: How to Make Choosing Easier

In the TED talk video, How to make choosing easier, Sheena Iyengar explained four methods to use to make your decisions easier.  1) Cut - Reduce the number of choices to make the process of choosing easier.  2) Make it Concrete - Making benefits of a choice more realistic to the chooser.  3) Categorization - break the choices into categories and some of them now make better sense.  4) Condition for Complexity start simple, and work your way to more complex decisions.

Each of these four methods make sense to me for methods we can use.  However, I am a huge fan of the categorization method.  When I go out to eat, the sheer quantity of choices on the menu gets frustrating.  I will often start by picking a main protein that I would like for my meal.  The categories of Chicken, Pork, Beef, or Vegetable will typically reduce the menu choices by 25-50% at any given restaurant.  After that choice is made, I can then categorize once again, by side item choices.  Using this categorization method, reduces the number of choices with each round of categories making the ultimate choice much much easier.

I also like the cut method.  Several years ago, I read that great minds like Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein used to only buy one particular outfit and all of their wardrobe consisted of one choice.  By cutting the number of choices, this makes the whole "what to wear" decision each morning much simpler.  I have done that in my life too.  While, I also feel that variety is the spice of life, I have made my work attire consist of two colors of pants (Black or Khaki) and two colors of polo shirts (Maroon and Yellow to go with our school colors).  The decision of what to wear each morning is therefore very simple.  I grab a pair of pants and a color shirt and out the door I go.  While I haven't eliminated my entire wardrobe, what to wear to work has been simplified.

I will continue to investigate and utilize each of the methods suggested by Ms. Iyengar to make decisions easier.

References:

Iyengar, S. (2012). How to make choosing easier. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/sheena_iyengar_choosing_what_to_choose/transcript?language=en