Scientific Link Between Happiness & Decision Making

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How do you make decisions? Some people want to find the absolute best option ("maximizers"). Others, known as "satisficers," have a set of criteria, and go for the first option that clears the bar.

While wanting the best seems like a good thing, research from Swarthmore College finds that satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers.

People who want the best tend to be prone to regret, and maximizers are also prone to measuring themselves against others. Consequently, envy quickly make people miserable.

This happiness gap raises the question: Can maximizers learn to become satisficers? Can you learn to settle for good enough? Possibly, but it takes some work, and here are some ways.

I. Get Practical

Wisdom is realizing that the idea of the best is preposterous and there is no best but better. So rather than focusing on best, start approaching decisions with a list of practical criteria. For example, is the house near your office? Is the yard big enough for your dog? And just put on the list what matters to you to select a fine house. Remember, anything that satisfies all your important criteria will be fine.

II. Discover Your Inner Satisficer

Make sure you see the upsides of satisfying. Just cut time working on something from hours to minutes when you realize that you don't need to complete it perfectly.

III. Change Your Frame of Reference

The problem with social comparison is that people are more likely to look at those with more (versus those with less), and hence feel miserable. But you can consciously change who you see. There are many reasons to try a social media detox, for example. Learning to be happy with "good enough" is one of them.

IV. Delegate

If you have trouble making decisions, then "choose when to choose," says Schwartz. Hire a decorator who will show you two options for light fixtures. If you’re looking for a new phone plan, call a friend who just chose one and, if she’s happy with it, go for what she went for. Chances are, you’ll like it too. You can ask the waiter which entree he likes and choose that.

V. Budge Your Time

You're advised to create an overall plan for the day or week. Then get clear on what's a high-impact task and what's not. As Saunders, a time management coach and author of How to Invest Your Time Like Money, explains, "A simple to-do item might be deciding on a restaurant for lunch with a colleague." Then figure out how much time each task should take. "Put in larger amounts of time for the big tasks," she says, "but still limit the time."

And for the lesser tasks? Be merciless. "For example, I can only spend five to 10 minutes looking for a lunch location. Once the 10 minutes is up, I’ll go with the best option I’ve found," she says. Feel free to reward yourself for sticking with this goal. "Give yourself a reason to end on time," says Saunders, such as having time for dessert at that lunch spot you’ve chosen.