Feel like you don’t have enough time? Redefine “enough”
👋 Welcome back to the Medium Newsletter, where we’re celebrating Cognitive Bias Week because thinking is hard
Issue #152: African origins of U.S. words, Man Repeller, and remembering you have joints
By Carly Rose Gillis
Today, we’re looking into the third conundrum of the universe that yields both cognitive biases and existential dread: there’s never enough time to fully analyze all our options to make perfect decisions.
In order to survive, we often must act fast based on limited information. Here’s what it really takes to act fast:
- You’re right about that thing you want to do
- You can do that right thing
- That thing is near to you
- That thing is easy for you
- You’re able to actually finish that thing
How do we meet those requirements in a world of infinite options? Let me introduce you to the sunk cost fallacy. It encourages us to just keep doing what we already know how to do, because it’s quicker and more efficient than learning something new.
But life is not constant; new circumstances crop up all the time that derail those ways to “act fast.” This is where the fallacy kicks in; when you’re in sunk cost mode, tasks take longer to do due to doubt, change, or despair. Days drag and accomplishments decrease, leading to less satisfaction and the perception of less time. Ultimately, that sunk cost mentality that was supposed to save you time is actually the culprit.
If you think you’re stuck in that cycle, writer Luay Rahil recently shared some particularly helpful advice based on his own journey out of the sunk cost fallacy. Ask yourself these questions:
- If you ruled out all the time and resources you spent on it, would you still do it?
- Would an independent source (acquaintance, coworker, etc.) agree that the value matches the time you’re spending on dissatisfying tasks? (But beware of outcome bias!)
- After investing time, did it create unintended negative consequences that weren’t part of your plan?
You may think all of that past time you spent is going to waste if you try to replace whatever you were working toward with something new. That’s why sunk cost is a fallacy. Learning a new way of living that actually helps you act fast may enrich the quality of your time — and make it more than just “enough.”
⚡ Lightning round: great, recent Medium stories in two sentences or less
- Writer E. Osborne, who also crafts African instruments, is publishing a series of stories about U.S. English words with hidden African influences. In the fifth installment, he features words like “mojo,” which some scholars believe to be derived from Tshiluba language (of the Democratic Republic of Congo region) muoyo, meaning “life, life-giving power.”
- Remember Man Repeller? If the mere mention of that iconic millennial website gave you a jump scare, you may enjoy this meditation by Lauren Boisvert on the confounding effect fashion blogging can have on young women, how it can equally create avenues for self-expression and self-hate.
Your daily dose of practical wisdom: on moving your joints
Feeling stressed out, tense, under pressure? Here’s one way to get out of your head and use the rest of your meat bag body for nervous system regulation: Take five minutes to locate each one of your joints and move them in their complete range of motion.
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Edited and produced by Scott Lamb & Harris Sockel
Questions, feedback, or story suggestions? Email us: tips@medium.com
