The real reason choices feel hard
Most of the time, you can't choose not because you lack information, but because you're trying to find an option you'll never regret.
But every choice means giving up other possibilities, and regret is part of choosing, not proof of failure. Once you accept that, deciding gets much faster.
Method one: separate the reversible from the irreversible
Sort the options you're torn over into two kinds. Reversible decisions — trying a different restaurant, which book to buy, where to go this weekend — cost little if you get them wrong, so just pick one. Every minute spent agonizing costs more than choosing wrong.
Irreversible decisions are the ones worth taking time over, like quitting a job, moving house, or signing a contract. These call for research and advice, not for making up your mind faster.
Method two: set a deadline for the agonizing
Endless agonizing drains you continuously. Give the decision a time box: five minutes for small things, a day for medium ones, a week for big ones.
If the time is up and there's still no conclusion, that means the information you have can't tell the options apart any further. At that point, using a random tool to make the choice is more rational than dragging it out.
Method three: watch your first reaction
Tools like a coin flip or a wheel have an underrated use: they let you see whether your first feeling on the result is relief or disappointment.
That reaction is usually closer to your true preference than endless weighing. If the result is A and you feel a little let down, then what you actually want is B. At that point the tool's job is done, and you can just choose B.
Method four: trade “the best” for “good enough”
In psychology, decision styles fall into two types: maximizers always want to find the single best option, and often spend more time yet end up less satisfied with the decision; satisficers stop as soon as they find an option that meets their standard, and end up happier.
For the vast majority of everyday choices, good enough is enough.