Conquer Overthinking in Decisions

Can't make a decision? Got a major problem at work you need to solve? When critical matters weigh heavily, many folks tend to overthink, Ap Dijksterhuis at the University of Amsterdam discovered. Thinking hard about a complex decision, that rests on multiple factors, can bamboozle the conscious mind and lead to final choices that aren't satisfactory.

Joanna Young requested some tips to get past overthinking. Here's how to launch...

1. Trust your instincts - You're more likely to perform well if you do not think too hard and just trust your intuition. Snap decisions are more reliable in many cases, according to a University College London study, than decisions made using higher-level cognitive processes.

Dr Li Zhaoping, of the UCL Department of Psychology, said: "This finding seems counter-intuitive. You would expect people to make more accurate decisions when given the time to look properly. Instead they performed better when given almost no time to think. The conscious or top-level function of the brain, when active, vetoes our initial subconscious decision -- even when it is correct -- leaving us unaware or distrustful of our instincts and at an immediate disadvantage. Falling back on our inbuilt, involuntary subconscious processes for certain tasks is actually more effective than using our higher-level cognitive functions."

If you've ever second guessed yourself on a test, you'll see the wisdom in this.

2. Keep expectations in mind - Know what's expected and what you want to see or what your company expects as a result. Your target is clear then.

3. Ask a two-footed question A two-footed question, links your personal interests to the best car to buy or which new hire candidate will best do the job, leads to more satisfactory results. And if you want to engage more of your mind in the whole decision, ask the question when you put your head on the pillow at night. The question directs your mind during sleep.

4. Sleep on it -- while you're sleeping, your unconscious mind appears able to ponder all the information and produce a decision that most people remain satisfied with. You'll awake with the best choice...and it will be apparent.

If you've tended to get bogged down in decision making, why not give these a try?