How to make smart decisions more easily

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

In a 2011 study, researchers followed a group of judges

在一項 2011 年的研究中， 研究人員針對一些法官，

deciding whether or not to offer imprisoned individuals a chance at parole.

追蹤他們是否給予犯人假釋的機會。

Logically, one might expect things like an imprisoned person’s crime,

根據邏輯，一般可能會認為 比如犯人所犯的罪行、

existing sentence, and current behavior to be the primary considerations.

現行刑期，以及目前的行為等

會是主要的考慮因素。

But while those details were duly examined,

但是，儘管這些細節 都有被妥當地檢審，

one variable had a remarkably large impact:

有一個變數卻有非常大的影響：

the time of day.

一天中的時辰。

Imprisoned people who met with the board in the morning

在早上和委員會見面的犯人

were far more likely to receive parole

得到假釋的機會遠大於

than those whose cases were reviewed in the afternoon,

案件在下午被審查的犯人，

even if their crimes and sentences were practically identical.

即使他們所犯的罪行 和被判的刑期都一樣。

This finding might seem strange, but the researchers’ explanation was simple:

此發現可能看似很奇怪， 但研究人員的解釋很簡單：

in the afternoon, the judges were likely exhausted.

在下午，法官可能累壞了。

Specifically, they were experiencing decision fatigue.

明確來說，他們遇到了決策疲勞。

This kind of cognitive exhaustion occurs after a period of extended decision making

這種認知疲勞發生在 長時間做決策之後，

and it can make people more impulsive and less confident while making choices.

且它可能會讓人在做選擇時 更加衝動且不那麼有信心。

The dangers of decision fatigue are clear in high-stakes scenarios like this study,

在比如本研究中的這種高風險情境，

決策疲勞的危害很明顯，

but it can have a serious impact on our day-to-day lives as well.

但它也可能對我們的 日常生活有嚴重的影響。

So what kinds of choices lead us to this state,

那麼，是什麼樣的選擇 導致我們進入這種狀態？

and what can we do to fight fatigue?

我們又能做什麼來對抗疲勞？

Everything our bodies do— whether physical or mental— uses energy.

我們身體所做的一切—— 不論是體力上或心理上的——

都要使用能量。

But while it’s unclear exactly what resources

雖然還不清楚在精神壓力期間 有哪些資源被耗盡，

are depleted during mental strain,

studies have found many individuals seem to have a daily threshold

但研究發現，許多人似乎 都有決策量的日常門檻。

for making decisions.

And once that threshold is met,

一旦達到門檻，

most people make the conscious choice to “take it easy”

大多數人都會有意識地 選擇「放輕鬆點」，

and save serious thinking about any new decisions for another day.

改天再深思熟慮，作出新決定。

How quickly you reach this threshold depends on several variables,

你有多快達到這個門檻， 取決於幾個變數，

including the frequency, complexity, and novelty of the decisions you have to make.

包括你必須做的決策的 頻率、複雜性，和新穎性。

For example, choosing what to eat for breakfast isn't very taxing.

比如，選擇早餐 要吃什麼並不會很費勁。

Not only is this decision limited by what's available,

這個決策不僅會受限於 能取得哪些早餐，

it's also a choice you expect to make once a day with fairly low stakes.

你也預期每天得做一次這個選擇，

且風險很低。

And even when you’re not quite sure what to eat,

即使你不確定該吃什麼，

the time between this minor decision and the next one

這個小決策到下個小決策之間的時間

should give you ample room to recover whatever cognitive energy you expend.

應該能給你充裕的空間，不論 你消耗多少認知能量都可以恢復。

But let’s imagine something much trickier.

但，咱們來想像一個更棘手的情況。

For example, your car suddenly breaks down

比如，你的車突然拋錨了，

and you need to replace it right away.

你需要馬上換車。

This is an unexpected, complicated decision with serious consequences.

這是個未預期且複雜的決策， 且後果會很嚴重。

In this case, there are countless options to choose from,

在這個情況下，有無數選項可選擇，

and you won't find them all in one place.

且你不會在一個地方就找到所有選項。

To make the optimal choice,

為了做出最佳選擇，

you’ll need to do hours of thoughtful research

你得花數小時做仔細的研究，

to consider the various pros and cons.

以考慮各種優缺點。

And since this is a decision you don’t often make,

且因為你不常做這種決策，

you’ll also have to identify what considerations are most important.

你還得找出哪些考量最重要。

The time pressure can add additional stress

時間緊迫性可能還會火上加油，

both during the decision-making process and afterward,

不只在決策時增加壓力，

連決策之後都會， 因為你會消耗更多的能量，

as you expend more energy wondering if you would have made

納悶你如果有更多時間， 是否會做出不同的決策。

a different decision with more time.

After just a single decision of this magnitude,

光一個這麼大的決策，

most people would have already reached their decision-making threshold.

就只以讓大多數人達到 他們的決策門檻了。

But in professions where individuals need to make multiple high-stakes decisions

但在一些職業中的人

每天都得做數個高風險決策，

every day,

decision fatigue can be much more dangerous.

決策疲勞對他們可能會更危險。

Judges, like those in the 2011 study,

比如 2011 年研究中的法官，

often encounter difficult decisions back-to-back,

經會遇到困難的決策，一個接一個，

with no time to recover.

沒有時間恢復。

Many researchers are especially concerned about decision fatigue in medicine.

許多研究人員特別關心 醫界的決策疲勞。

Doctors often work long shifts full of life-or-death decisions,

醫生的執班時間通常很長， 且要做很多攸關生死的決定，

and some studies have found that medical workers

有些研究發現，醫療從業人員

are much more likely to make critical mistakes

在長時間的執班工作之後 更容易犯下重大錯誤。

when working extended shifts.

Addressing these issues requires institutional changes,

要處理這些問題，就得改變制度，

but there are much more direct ways most of us can avoid fatigue

但還有一些更直接的方法 可以幫我們避免日常生活中的疲勞。

in our daily lives.

One simple strategy is to make fewer daily decisions,

其中一個簡單的策略 就是減少日常決策的數量。

tackling your to-do list over multiple days,

分多天處理你的待辦事項清單，

or even removing some rote decisions from your day altogether.

或甚至直接把機械性的 日常決策給刪除。

It’s also typically less draining to offer advice on a hard decision

針對困難的決策，提供建議 耗費的心力通常少於

than it is to make that choice yourself.

自己去做那個選擇。

So it can be helpful to imagine your decisions as someone else’s

因此，一個有用的訣竅 是把你的決策想像成別人的，

before considering how the consequences impact you specifically.

之後再去考量這個決策 對你個人的影響會是什麼。

Finally, it's essential to remember that not every choice is equally important,

最後，很重要的是要記住， 並非每個選擇都同樣重要，

and learning how to relax about the small stuff can help you save energy

學習如何在小事上放輕鬆

可以幫助你節省能量，

for the decisions that truly matter.

留到要做出至關重要的 決策時再使用。