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Doctors turning to trusted life hack to eliminate pain of perfectionism

The hair-splitting and nitpicking pain of perfectionism can cause many people to overthink, stress or burnout.

But an old life hack is surging that’s designed to eliminate anxiety linked to making perfect choices and spark quick action.

It’s called “satisficing,” a combination of making choices that are satisfying and suffice with the information that’s readily available.

Dr. Tina Thomas, an adult psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente, said it means a quick escape from analysis paralysis for many perfectionists.

“As humans, we have this desire to want to make the right choice all of the time. And not do something until we are 100% prepared. But in that desire, we end up not really achieving a lot,” she told WTOP.

The decision-making strategy was first used back in the mid-1950s by Dr. Herbert Simon. He taught patients to make choices based on their first “good-enough” option that met their needs, rather than the perfect choice. It helped reduce anxiety and rumination.

“It’s about being good enough rather than perfect,” she said.

In addition to the method, Thomas advises her patients to set and stick to clear deadlines, and once a decision is made, don’t second-guess it.

“Be happy. You’ve made a good choice,” she said. “Know that your task is done and you can move forward.”

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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