Paradox of Choice

I read the book Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz a few years ago which talks about how every day decisions have become overwhelming due to all of the choices we now have. In the book, Schwartz highlights two types of decision makers: the maximizers who need to ensure every decision made is the best that could be made and the satisficers who have criteria and standards but are not worried there might be something better. 

When reading the book I immediately identified with the satisficer decision makers. All of my big decisions in life have been based on some basic criteria and a lot of intuition rather than research. I wanted to go to Cal Poly but didn’t spend much time looking into majors, graduating salaries, alumni networks. Similarly, I fell into accounting because it came naturally to me and it seemed it would provide some job security. I went to work for a Big Four accounting firm because that was what you did when you were an accounting major. When offered the job in Switzerland I said yes before knowing much about the country, culture or what it would mean to my salary or career (thankfully it resulted in a nice bump in salary, a great career opportunity and led me to meeting Martin). Oskar’s daycare was based on one recommendation and its location to our house (the fact that it also happened to be a preschool was a pleasant surprise once we started thinking about preschools). And when looking into elementary schools for Oskar we went German without any additional research on curriculum, teaching styles or after school programs. 

When compared to others, I am clearly a satisficer.  However, and this is a big however, the most glaring exception to my laid back attitude on decision making is when I am planning a family trip. That blasé attitude goes right out the window. I research everything: driving times between locations, planning the best route to avoid long days of travel and anticipating energy levels at the beginning, middle and end of the trips.  I have spent hours researching hotels including reading the reviews, factoring in Martin’s disdain for dated accommodations along with my desire for ease of location and kid friendly amenities. From there, it spirals into restaurants within walking distance, activities that are nearby, things to pack, and how to get everything organized to optimize space and minimize impact of a potential lost bag. 

Thankfully, while I may feel the stress of making the right decisions up front I am able to let go once we are officially on vacation. When we booked our week-long stay in France for the last leg of our summer trip last year I had a list of 5-10 activities that were nearby and might be fun for the kids, however that list of activities was only a reference guide rather than a checklist of things to do. 

I wish I knew why I am like this, but I won’t over analyze it. It seems to work for me and the family… per Martin “I don’t know why you always stress about planning vacations, they always seem to work out.” 

As a side note, for those who are wondering, based on the research it turns out satisficers are happier in the long run even though they might not make the absolute best decision every time.