Options Fatigue: Have you experienced it?

It’s a few weeks before Christmas, or an upcoming birthday. A gift purchase is high on the to do list and yet with the constant state of work-eat-live-sleep-work stress perhaps this task keeps getting bumped for something more enjoyable to do.

But eventually you have to make the time and ultimately the purchase.

So, you set aside some time and start. You guessed it, on the internet. Because the internet is so easy, quick and you don’t have to leave your house or get out of your pajamas. But then, it all comes to a screeching halt when you suddenly realize there are way, way, way too many options!  You begin by narrowing the search, but you’ve already gone down the rabbit hole and there seems to be no solution in sight. You step away.

A couple of days go by, and you realize you still haven’t purchased that gift and time is running low. Again, your ready now, you have food and coffee in hand, back to the internet. Hours searching for the perfect gift have once again got you spinning down the rabbit hole in search of who knows what. 

That’s it!  You buy something on a whim and hope for the best.

We’re sure this happens all too often. The constant stress that comes with infinite options creates fatigue and keeps us in a state of anticipation and discontentment.

Sometimes, it seems, less is better. Less options, less things, less drama. You get the picture. It seems like we are brought up to always seek and fight for more; and that more options are better. If you have more of everything you are somehow better than those who don’t.  Hmmm.  Not so certain here.

We are bombarded by options, choices and decisions. Whether it’s on the internet, shopping center or restaurant. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and they hand you 2 menus, 1 additional drink menu plus a seasonal specials menu? Then you open the 1st menu and it’s six pages long, single spaced with so many options you lose your appetite.

We find so many times during this phase of eating out that the stress of opting on what we’re in the mood for kills the social aspect of conversing with those at the table.  We spend so much time stressing over the choice before the waitstaff returns that we miss talking with family and friends. 

Then you visit a restaurant or shop that has limited options, but the offerings are well made and consistent. The choices become simple, stress is avoided and social interaction flourishes like we spoke about in our post 'Food, Wine & Tables'.

They’ve chosen limited options but do them very well.

Imagine for a moment you began to live your LiFE this way. Simple, done well and less stress so that you can enjoy LiFE rather than stressing through it. Wouldn’t it be nice to eliminate Option Fatigue and take LiFE simpler, relaxed and more aware?

LiFE is NOW...

Be something

Make something

Do something simple but do it well

Repeat 

Enjoy