Pro Tips Link Copied 09.03.24

7 Ways to Deal With Analysis Paralysis

From what to watch to where to live, this can help you make a decision you feel good about. ByAnna Borges

Shutterstock / Wondermind

Whomst among us hasn’t been indecisive at some point or another? From debating between a chill night in and a wild night out to agonizing over whether to splurge on something new, life is full of chances to feel uncertain about what you want or need. Not to mention all the important junctures in our careers, relationships, and personal growth that will have us considering big shake-ups over the years. But sometimes we don’t just hesitate in the face of a decision—we full-on freeze up. Welcome to analysis paralysis (also known as decision paralysis). 

“Decision paralysis goes beyond indecisiveness and moves into that feeling of stuckness,” says Ivy Ellis, LCSW, a Chicago-based therapist who specializes in anxiety. “You're ruminating on the decision but can’t seem to take a step forward in any direction.” It happens to the best of us, even when we know we need to choose already, damnit. 

What brings on analysis paralysis?

For starters, an overabundance of choice is a big roadblock, even if the options aren’t ones we’d seriously considered—think of endlessly scrolling through streaming services trying to decide what to watch. “We get overwhelmed by all the different options available to us,” especially when we’re concerned with making an informed call and want to explore various courses of action, says Ellis. After all, it’s tough to commit to moving forward when you feel like there’s always another alternative around the bend.

Other times, people freeze up because they just don’t like their options, says Britt Frank, LSCSW, neuropsychotherapist and author of The Science of Stuck. Because, let’s be real, sometimes life serves up nothing but crappy choices, and it’s human to drag your feet, hoping for a better one to magically appear.

Fear plays a big role, too, says Ellis. We worry about screwing things up, doubt our ability to handle the consequences, or stress over what others might think. Conditions like anxiety, ADHD, and OCD, as well as traits like perfectionism and people-pleasing can amplify these fears, leading to overthinking, overwhelm, and—you guessed it—analysis paralysis.

So how are you supposed to make up your mind when decisions can be loaded for a million reasons? While we can’t give you a step-by-step guide to making That Choice, there are ways to ease the discomfort of decision-making, feel more confident about your choices, and finally get things moving. Whether you’re thinking about making a big life change or just want to be more decisive in everyday situations, here’s what the experts suggest:

1. Name and narrow down your options.

It may sound obvious, but before you can make any decision, it’s crucial to know exactly what you’re deciding between, Frank says. Sometimes, the options are clear-cut and usefully time-bound: Do you accept a job offer by the end of the week or stay where you are? Do you renew your expiring lease or start apartment hunting? Do you apply to adopt this dog now or wait until you feel more prepared? If you can easily name your immediate choices, you’re in a good position to move forward.

But if you’re still asking yourself big, broad questions like Should I go back to school? or Should I switch career paths? instead of comparing specific next steps, you might not be at a decision-making point yet. You’re likely still in the exploration phase, which is totally normal. In these cases, Frank recommends breaking down big decisions into smaller, actionable steps, like, Should I start by researching degree programs or talking it out with someone I trust? or Do I want to start applying for jobs in a new field or explore internal opportunities?

On the other hand, if you have more than a handful of options, you’re going to want to narrow things down. One solid way to suss out the weakest links?

2. Write—then edit—your pros and cons list.

First off, yep, you should probably make a pro/con list for any significant decision. Feel free to brain-dump your first draft without overthinking—just put all your thoughts down on paper (or screen). “It’s important to get everything out there so you can see your options clearly and from different angles,” Ellis says.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to refine your list and suss out what’s actually helpful and relevant to your decision. Ellis suggests digging deeper into the items to see if they hold up. For instance, if you’re thinking about moving to a new city, “Using my savings for moving costs” is a solid, specific concern, but “Having no friends” might need some reframing (see instead: “Adjusting to long-distance with my besties” or “Time and effort to make new friends in the city”). 

Also, be mindful of any fortune-telling or broad assumptions happening on your list. For instance, you may be sure that a new job pays more thanks to your offer letter, but you can’t say for certain that you’ll find it more or less stressful than your current one.

As you go through your list, Ellis recommends asking yourself: How realistic is this? And how big of a deal is it? That way, you focus on what truly matters, rather than getting bogged down by every little worry or fantasy. “A lot of the time, when you start digging in, you realize, Actually, I don’t care that much about that part, or That’s not even true,” says Ellis. If you’re feeling unsure, that might be a sign to…

3. Brush up on your values.

We talk about values a lot here at Wondermind—because, as mental health pros will tell you, they’re a big part of living a fulfilling and purposeful life. So it’s probably no surprise that your values are also super valuable (lol) for making decisions, especially the big ones. Because, most likely, every possible decision will come with both pros and cons. 

When you’re still torn between choices after exploring them thoroughly, Ellis says there’s often a bigger question you need to ask yourself: What matters most to you? For example, if you’re considering moving in with your partner after living solo for years, taking a cool new job that pays less, or going back to school to switch careers, how you approach these choices will depend on what you prioritize in life. Are you willing to sacrifice some financial stability for creative fulfillment? How about trading independence for a deeper connection?

That doesn’t mean you’ll always be making clear-cut trade-offs. But when you make decisions based on your values, you’re more likely to feel good about your choices afterward and fulfilled in the long run, says Ellis. 

4. Let go of the idea of a “right” choice.

According to Ellis, most of us get stuck in black-or-white thinking with our decision-making at some point. We create a false dichotomy between the Right Choice and the Wrong Choice, and toil away trying to figure out which one is which. But no matter how many pro/con lists you write, or how many new options you brainstorm, you’ll probably never solve the mystery of which one will be The Very Best or most likely to turn out the way you want. 

Instead, Ellis recommends recognizing that most decisions will fall somewhere in the middle so you can adjust your expectations (and language) accordingly. “There’s no perfect choice—every decision is going to have good aspects and bad aspects,” she says. To that end, you might start thinking of your options as more or less difficult, realistic, or aligned with your values or goals. 

5. Give yourself some deadlines.

If you give yourself unlimited time to make up your mind, you might end up overthinking forever. It’s classic productive procrastination: “People feel like they're working on a decision if they're thinking about it, even if they're not taking any action,” Ellis says. But at some point, you’ve got to move forward, and setting a hard deadline can be the nudge you need.

For smaller decisions, set a quick deadline to avoid getting bogged down by unnecessary info-gathering (like if you can’t find something to watch in the next 10 minutes you’ll default to a Schitt’s Creek rewatch). For bigger decisions, Frank recommends breaking them into manageable steps with mini-deadlines to keep the process moving forward. Because you might not feel ready to choose a deadline for whether or not to break up with your partner, but you can at least decide to get that pro/con list done by the end of the week to keep things moving.

And, BTW, some of us aren’t great at sticking to self-imposed deadlines. If that sounds like you, try getting an accountability buddy involved. Knowing someone else is checking in can be just the push you need to stay on track.

6. Don’t bring in too many outside opinions.

Just like you can ruminate on your own, you can also talk things to death with an audience—especially if you’re asking everyone and their mother for advice. “Crowdsourcing too many outside opinions on a decision is like having too many cooks in the kitchen,” Ellis says. When you open the floor to too many voices, you might end up more confused and overwhelmed than when you started, with everyone’s differing opinions pulling you in opposite directions.

Instead, Ellis suggests limiting discussions to those directly involved and one or two trusted sounding boards, whether that’s a close friend, therapist, mentor, or partner. “Find someone who can help you see things from a different perspective or bounce ideas around,” she advises.

Even then, ask yourself ahead of time what you're looking for out of a conversation. Boundaries will keep things constructive without opening any new cans of worms. Instead of just, "I’m thinking about adopting a dog—what do you think?" you might specify, "I'm curious to hear about the unexpected challenges that came up when you got Rover" or "No need to talk about the costs—I’ve already budgeted for that.” This way, you guide the conversation toward what you need, rather than inviting more uncertainty.

7. Repeat after me: You can handle this.

Self-compassion is a crucial tool when you’re suffering from analysis paralysis, says Frank. Because beating yourself up isn’t going to help you decide any faster. In fact, it’ll probably immobilize you even more. So recognize that it’s normal to feel uncertain or struggle with big choices, and avoid beating yourself up for not having all the answers right away. This isn’t just about making yourself feel better—you’re giving yourself the mental space to navigate decisions without added pressure.

If compassionate reminders aren’t enough, try approaching it from a problem-solving perspective instead. “You can make a plan with yourself: If this choice does turn out to be difficult, how will I handle the difficulty?” Ellis says. No need to make full contingency plans for every possible outcome—zero on what you fear most and talk yourself down. 

Whatever the choice, there’s at least one positive outcome that you can count on: You’ll learn something new for next time. Because if there’s one thing that’s for certain, it’s that more decisions are coming down the pipeline—and the more you practice, the less you’ll freeze up.