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| SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2026
Cut the number of choices you make each day.
By Albert Stumm
sor at Swarthmore College and author of “The Paradox The more choices you have, of Choice.” “There have been hundreds the better, right? Actually, of studies showing that there behavioral scientists say can be too much of a good too many options can make thing,” Schwartz said. people anxious, indecisive To minimize the menand less happy with what they pick. Barry Schwartz is a psy- tal noise, he said, limit the number of choices you make, chology professor at Swarthand your brain will thank you more College and the author for it. of “The Paradox of Choice.” He says people become parMore is often alyzed by too many choices. For example, people in states more confusing with more Medicare Part D Schwartz offered several drug plan options are less examples of cases where more likely to choose any. People options left people worse off. In the case of Medicare Part who won’t settle for anything but the best particularly D prescription drug plans, suffer from this phenomenon, people in states with more whether they’re shopping for choices were less likely to a toaster or searching for a re- choose any of them, he said. lationship. Schwartz suggests The same goes for 401(k) investments. The more opthat before making a choice tions a company had, the less among many options, set likely employees were to sign realistic goals of what would be good enough. Stick with it, up, even when the employer offered matching money. then move on. Less consequential choices Jeans that fit perfectly. The ideal Netflix show for a are no different. Schwartz Tuesday night. Your one and pointed to one often-cited study that showed only soulmate. Modern life promises that with enough shoppers at a gouroptions, you will happily find met grocery store the best of everything. bought more jars of artisanal jam But behavioral scientists when they were say the increasing flood of presented with six choices — whether it comes to shopping, social lives or flavors rather than with a wider array relationships — is doing the of 24. In a follow-up opposite. The idea that more choice is study, students were more likely to better is baked into Western complete an exculture, but research shows that having more options tra-credit assignment can make people anxious, when they were given indecisive and, paradoxically, six topics to choose from instead of 30. less happy with what they pick, said Barry Schwartz, an Schwartz’s research expandemeritus psychology profesed on those findings to learn The Associated Press
the emotional responses to this phenomenon. “Instead of being liberated by all this choice, you’re paralyzed,” he said. “You can do anything, and you can’t figure out which of those many things to do.” People also often end up making worse decisions since more options suggest more potentially bad outcomes, he said. And once someone finally decides from all the possibilities, they may be less satisfied with even a good choice because they fear there was a better alternative. Schwartz said the satisfaction problem is especially acute for people whose aim is to get the best, whom psychologists call maximizers. “People who are maximizers especially suffer from the
proliferation of options,” he said. “Only the best will do.” The tendency isn’t true for all people in all situations, Schwartz noted. Car buffs will gladly dive into the details of nearly unlimited choice when buying a new one. “But you don’t feel that way when it comes to buying jam,” he said.
Thebraindoesn’tlike making decisions
Daniel Willingham, a psychology professor and neuroscience researcher at the University of Virginia, said the phenomenon occurs because the brain is designed to save people from having to think. Problem-solving requires more energy than relying on memory, a fact that has roots in
He was following the example of Herbert Simon, a psychologist and 1978 Nobel laureate in economics, who had three sets of clothes and ate nearly the same thing every day. Simon introduced the term “satisficing,” a combination of satisfying and sufficing that means setting good-enough criteria for decisions and moving on. Epstein sets satisficing rules for himself when shopping online by first focusing on the purpose of the purchase. “When I find one that does that, I’m buying it, instead of reading all the reviews and getting sucked into, ‘Well, this one has all these other features.’” Willingham and Schwartz suggested farming out some decisions. If you’re looking for a new phone, find a friend who is happy with theirs and buy that one. For larger decisions like financial planning, you’ll be happier if you rely on someone else’s professional expertise, Willingham said. “If you’re thinking, ‘Well, I’m a clever guy, I can figure that out,’ I think 9 times out 10, you’re fooling yourself,” Limityourchoices of he said. and move on Schwartz acknowledged David Epstein said that that for people who have trouble making decisions, after researching his book, “Inside the Box: changing is difficult. But it’s How Constraints Make Us worth it. “What happens over time Better,” he began to shift is you find it easier to make away from his maximalist tendencies. Now, he limits decisions, you end up more satisfied with the decisions his opportunities for making you make, and all of a sudden, choices, such as when he you’ve got an extra two hours bought 10 of the same wellfitting T-shirts in different in every day,” he said. colors.
evoltionary survival mode, Willingham said. When faced with a goal, whether it be an immediate need like responding to a threat or something longer term like finding shelter, the mind first searches for what’s worked before. The problem-solving part of the brain only kicks in afterward. “Another way to put it is that if you’re thinking, things are not going well,” he said. That explains why sometimes people move through parts of their day on autopilot, he said. Throughout the day, people are confronted with hundreds of situations where they could do something different, but they almost always take the same route to work. Schwartz said the proliferation of choices also has become tangled with identity in the social media age, where everyone can easily compare their choices to others. “When all you’ve got to choose from is Lee’s and Levi’s, nobody expects the jeans they buy to fit perfectly,” he said. “When there are 2,000 options, well, now, dammit, you do expect your jeans to fit perfectly.”
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D2 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2026
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
Bedtime
How to avoid
overscheduling your children science. But parents can con- American Academy of Child Modern sider a number of strategies & Adolescent Psychiatry recas they seek to avoid overommends parents encourage parents may scheduling their kids in the kids to be open about their coming school year. schedules, especially if they feel pressured feel overwhelmed by their obTake an age-based ligations, and let them know to schedule that it’s alright and healthy to approach take a break. The AACAP also kids in lots of While parents may feel struc- urges parents to talk to kids about their thoughts and feelactivities can benefit extracurricular tured kids of all ages, some childings when children repeatedly hood development experts resist an activity. activities. note that organized activities But a lack of free time can prove harmful to young children. The start of a new school year presents a fresh opportunity for students. Parents know that the start of a new school year also means a return to the hustle and bustle that many households with school-aged children have grown accustomed to. When that hectic period begins, parents may wonder if their children are overscheduled and, if so, what effect that might be having on their performance in the classroom? A 2024 study published in the journal Economics of Education Review found that modern students could be dealing with a host of adverse consequences due to what’s piled onto their plates during the school year. According to the study, the amount of homework students are assigned coupled with the abundance of extracurriculars students now participate in is not helping them to build their academic skills but is harming their mental health by increasing feelings of anxiety, anger and depression. Choosing where to draw the line regarding students’ schedules is not an exact
may not be as beneficial to younger children as they are to older kids. Andie Stallman, a clinical and developmental health and psychology specialist and the childhood and play expert at Imagination Playground, notes that childhood development professionals suggest that organized activities prior to age six and seven are not developmentally appropriate. Stallman notes at this age kids should be encouraged to discover their own interests through self-directed play and exploration. Kids can still engage in organized activities at this age, but the focus should be on fun and socialization more than building skills and improving performance. As kids advance through elementary school, parents can talk to them about organized extracurricular activities and which ones, if any, they want to participate in.
Keep a running dialogue about the schedule
Learn to spot the warning signs of an overscheduled child
Children do not want to disappoint their parents, so even those encouraged to share their thoughts about their activities and schedules may hesitate to speak up if they feel overwhelmed. With that in mind, parents can learn to spot the early warning signs that a child may be overwhelmed, which the AACAP notes include: ● Making excuses or refusing to go to the activity ● Feeling over-tired or not having enough time to sleep ● Exhibiting problems with organization or struggling to meet deadlines ● Declining school grades ● Unexplained physical symptoms, such as head aches or stomach aches ● Increased anxiety
It can be difficult for parents to avoid overscheduling kids. But it’s important that Parents understandably don’t parents remember the value want kids to quit, but it’s also of free time for youngsters. important that kids are enMore information about couraged to let Mom and Dad striking a balance when it comes to kids’ schedules can know if they feel they have too much on their plate. The be found at aacap.org.
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As Routines Change, Remember to Connect.
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stages. While newborns tend to sleep in short, irregular bursts that don’t always follow the day/night schedule, sleep patterns begin to consolidate by the time kids are four months old. A consistent bedtime routine is essential, which can include a simple sequence of three to four calming activities to signal to baby that it’s time to wind down. Experts call this the “3Bs”: bath, book, bed. Additional calming activities like a massage or final feeding also can help infants get the 12 to 16 hours of sleep they need each day, including naps. The AAP recommends placing a baby in the crib while drowsy to help the child learn to fall asleep on their own.
protest bedtime at some point, at which point parents must be gentle but firm about keeping kids in bed.
Preschool-aged
By ages three to five, some children begin to drop the afternoon nap and get all of their 10 to 13 hours of sleep overnight. They also are becoming more imaginative, which means that nightmares might crop up more regularly within this age group. A calm, screen-free bedtime routine can help clear the mind so youngsters can get the rest they need.
School-aged
This is a time when prioritizing sleep is really put to the test. Friends, school and extracurricular activities begin Toddlers to place greater demands on Parents of toddlers know scheduling, and can interfere they are bustling with energy with children getting enough as they learn to walk, talk sleep. The general recomInfants and explore. Recommended mendation is 9 to 12 hours sleep for ages one to two is 11 of sleep for children ages six Infancy is a time of rapid development when chilto 14 hours per day, including to 12. dren go through many sleep To facilitate getting rest, naps. Consistency is paramount parents can make the bedroom a sanctuary that is free for this age group, which means keeping bedtimes the from tablets, phones or other devices that may distract same from day to day. Make sure the routine is predictable children from sleeping. to help regulate toddlers’ internal Teenagers clocks. Chances A biological shift takes are toddlers will place during adolescence that begin to has this age group preferring to go to sleep later and wake up later. National Children’s Hospital says this biological shift in circadian rhythm after puberty moves the adolescent’s internal clock by about two hours. That means a teen who used to fall asleep at nine p.m. now does so at 11 p.m. Despite this, teens still need an average of eight to 10 Keep Your Hearing Aids Dry! hours of sleep a day. UnforAsk us about drying units. tunately, school start times typically do not coincide with kids’ internal clocks, and many teens do not get the rest they need. Parents can encourage their children to turn off their phones and maintain consistent schedules so they can get enough rest. Also, they should be dissuaded from waking up or going to sleep at different times on weekends, or making up sleep, as this Jamie Conti, Au.D. Jennifer Lundgren Garcia, Au.D. can disrupt sleep patterns Doctor of Audiology Doctor of Audiology and cause “social jetlag.” The Finest Hearing Care by Doctors of Audiology —— SINCE 1984 ——
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leep is pivotal for a child’s development. The American Academy of Pediatrics says insufficient sleep is a growing health problem, with some estimates indicating 25 to 50 percent of children and 40 percent of adults have sleep problems. This can lead to issues with attention, behavior, learning, and even physical health, including an increased risk for obesity and depression. The right routine can make a world of difference in relation to children and sleep. Despite the importance of sleep, bedtime is one of the most challenging times of day in many households. Learning the amount of sleep a child needs and sticking to a routine, particularly as kids grow, can help foster healthy sleep habits that last a lifetime.
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Changing routines, back-to-school preparations, and busy schedules can bring added stress. Take time to check in with yourself and the people who matter most. Staying connected can make a big difference for you and those you love.
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Sleep is crucial for good health and something parents should prioritize and facilitate through all stages of development.