To get things done, we have to make decisions. For some of us this is easy, but for others it can be hard not to hesitate. What’s the science behind our indecision, and how can we overcome it?

Do you ever panic in the face of too much information, or worry so much about how to make a decision that you never actually make one? This is what psychologists call “analysis paralysis”: the state in which your brain becomes so overwhelmed with different possibilities that you can’t reach a conclusion. Overthinking and overanalyzing information can undermine us in a number of ways:

• Productivity and judgment: too much information, pressure, or anxiety can overload our short-term memory and affect our proficiency and acumen.
• Creativity: overthinking makes us less creative. A 2015 study at Stanford University found that participants’ most creative work was done when their prefrontal cortex—the center for conscious thought—was less active than their cerebellum, which handles movement and activity.
• Happiness: perfectionism can reduce our chances of happiness. According to economist Herbert Simon, people are either “satisficers” who will settle for something that’s “good enough,” or “maximizers” who want to make the best possible decision. Maximizers tend to be less happy, have lower self-esteem, and regret their decisions more than satisficers.

Ironically, the more anxious we are about making the perfect decision, the more likely we are to create mental habits that impede our decision-making skills.

Getting to the point

If you find it hard to make up your mind, try the following methods:

• Imagine you’re advising a friend. Studies show that we find it hard to make decisions when we’re too emotionally invested. If you take yourself out of the picture, your choice might become clearer.
• Limit your information. Researchers at Princeton and Stanford universities found that information overload is a key cause of indecision. In a digital age, there’s always more to review—just don’t take on more than you can handle.
• Realize that “common” doesn’t mean “always.” A 2009 study by psychologists Ralph Hertwig and Ido Erev found that we often give too much weight to what’s happened recently and too little to events that are rare yet more likely to happen than we think. Don’t forget that circumstances can change.
• Don’t waste time on small decisions. If things will be the same in a year’s time no matter what you do, the decision doesn’t deserve much of your energy.
• Set a deadline. If you haven’t made a decision yet, resolve that you must come to a conclusion by a specific date.

Decisions can be challenging, but if you keep your priorities in mind, they become easier to manage.

Are you a “lay rationalist”?

Do you follow your head or your heart? A 2015 study for the American Marketing Association found that people they described as “lay rationalists”—that is, people who felt more comfortable with facts rather than feelings—were likely to be influenced by what they thought they should do, whereas people who were less rational were more likely to be influenced by their emotions and what they wanted to do. The two types tend to have quite different concepts of success.