Do you find yourself always stalling when making important decisions? Most of us these days have so many things going on we can barely keep track. If we wait too long to decide we could end up losing out or making a wrong decision. Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis.
Analysis paralysis: when someone is unable to make a decision because they’ve overthought the problem.
If we have a potentially complex decision to make with many variables involved we could end up anxious, stressed, and completely frazzled. Overthinking sets in and all we seem to do is spin our wheels. This won’t help us in the long run and if we are already prone to overthinking things we can lose confidence in our abilities.
The fact that we stall on making a decision could be a sign of poor or low self-esteem and self-confidence. Why did it take so long to make the decision? Did we not have all the facts or was it something within ourselves? These are critical questions we must ask ourselves to start making healthy decisions in a timely manner.
Here are some causes of analysis paralysis:
- Anxiety. Having anxiety is a big contributor to not being able to make decisions. The fear of something that could happen if we choose incorrectly. If you suffer from anxiety please try to get some help from a licensed clinician. Having an understanding of the anxiety and making peace with it can really help to get through things better.
- Perfectionist. If we are always trying to make things perfect you could see how time will get away from us. Fine tuning is good but there at some point, enough is enough. This does not include life-saving emergencies. Take the time you need to not kill the patient! HA
- Underlying mental health issues. There are some things our brain does that could really get in the way of decision-making. For this, I always advise getting help as well.
- Overanalyzing. If we spend our time thinking of the woulda, coulda, should’ves then we could miss our window and really end up confusing ourselves. I do this regularly.
- Imposter syndrome. When we don’t feel we are good enough we tend to think we don’t belong. Why would you feel like you are an imposter? Think about it and be honest with yourself. The answer usually arrives quickly.
- Lack of organization. I am not as organized as I would like to be, but I am working on it each and every day. When we have a decision to make we really should have things in order. In our minds or down on paper. Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis.
Tips on how to overcome analysis paralysis:
- Take breaks. Step back from the problem so you can get a broader look. You would be surprised as to how much this can help.
- Stop researching so much. We live in a world where information is on tap 24/7. Not everything is true that we read online. Confusion will set in once we read something that conflicts with something else we’ve read.
- Simplify process. A pros and cons list could be good. Realize when your brain is adding more complication to it.
- Create a goal. Begin with the end in mind. Tackle one thing at a time.
- It’s ok to not be sure. We don’t have to have all the answers. Decision-making can be difficult depending on the topics. Some decisions have bigger consequences than others.
Conclusion
Analysis paralysis can really be bad for you if gone unchecked. Pay attention to what your decision-making process is so that you can always be forward-moving. If it takes you too long to decide because you have overthought the process then step back and take another look. You got this!
