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Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis happens when over-analysis of relevant information or over-thinking of possible consequences prevents one from making a decision.

Analysis paralysis can sometimes delay decisions and thus lead to forfeited opportunities.

Additionally, analysis paralysis hampers productivity. Destructive optimisation

happens when the value derived choosing the optimal strategy is less than the cost needed to discover the optimal strategy; and the Paradox of Choice

Paradox of Choice

Psychologist Barry Schwartz finds that, while increased numbers of choices can in theory yield better results, it leads to anxiety...

6/29/2025

explains how more choices does’t lead to better result. Using a computer scheduler’s approach to make decisions

Prioritising like a computer scheduler

A bug in NASA's Pathfinder Mars lander caused the transmission to stop. The bug in the scheduler made it procrastinate....

6/29/2025

might be a solution.

One instance where analysis paralysis take place is the optimal stopping problem

, which has been well studied by mathematicians and can be solved by the 37% rule

Optimal Stopping Problem

The optimal stopping problem has to do with stopping early enough to minimise cost while not stopping too early to...

6/29/2025

.

Also, over-thinking can sometimes lead to bad decisions.


References:

  1. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/analysisparalysis.asp
  2. https://blog.doist.com/analysis-paralysis-productivity/