MOVE | BREATHE |NOURISH

February 2026

The Power of Removing Options | Simplify to Strength

Whilst planning some new projects over the last few weeks alongside ticking off a never-ending list of home jobs, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about choice.

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In many ways, how lucky are we to have so much of it? We can switch on the TV and choose from thousands of films and series at the click of a button on platforms like Netflix. We can order food from almost any culture and have it delivered to our door within minutes. We can choose between electric or petrol cars in hundreds of colours, shapes and sizes. We can go to the gym, follow an online workout, join a Pilates class or throw ourselves into bootcamp. The choices are endless, in almost every part of every day.

 

So where’s the downside?

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When Choice Becomes Overload

With choice comes decision-making and with decision-making comes a whole can of worms that can quickly spiral.

When we have to make decisions, our brain and body don’t always respond in a way that supports our long-term wellbeing. Our external environment and our internal state in that moment don’t always work together. Let me explain....

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You wake up with a headache. It’s raining. Your mood is already affected. You head to work in the grey drizzle and stop at your usual coffee shop. The moment you walk in, your senses are hit, the smell of warm croissants, the display of sweet treats you have to pass before reaching the counter. Temptation. Choice. Everywhere. You think, “Ah, blow it. I’ve got a headache and it’s miserable outside. I’ll have the croissant. And maybe a shot of syrup in my coffee too — that’ll make me feel better.”

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For the next ten minutes, while you soak up the dopamine hit from the sugar, you probably will feel better. But an hour later, when the sugar crash arrives, you’re faced with yet another decision. You’re hungry, your energy dips, and you’re right back to resisting the next temptation. And so the cycle continues.

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The Constant Drain of Decision-Making

Being surrounded by choice can become a constant barrier to making sound, considered decisions. Around every corner there’s another marketing message, tempting treat or “limited time offer” nudging us toward something we may later regret. Add in our busy, fast-paced lives and we default to convenience. We don’t pause, we react. We don’t think, we grab what’s quickest. Which brings me to another point.

With choice comes thinking. And when we already have so much to think about in a single day, it’s no wonder we crave situations where we don’t have to make another decision.

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My husband and I always dread finishing a series on Netflix. Not because we didn’t enjoy it, but because now we have to decide what to watch next. At 9pm, when you’re tired and just want to switch off, scrolling endlessly feels exhausting. Too much choice can feel like a burden.

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Taking Back Control

So what can we do?

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First, awareness. Simply recognising what’s happening gives you power. The next time you’re tempted by that croissant you didn’t plan on buying, pause. Remind yourself: the choice is there, but I don’t have to take it. You came in for coffee. Just coffee.

 

Secondly, where possible, remove choice altogether.

My son has a severe peanut allergy, which makes eating out and ordering takeaways incredibly stressful. I used to spend so much time worrying about cross-contamination and searching for “safe” options. Eventually, I made a decision: we simply wouldn’t get takeaways.

They aren’t reliably safe, and they don’t align with the way I value our health. By removing the option completely, there’s no debate on a busy day. No, “Shall we just order something?” The choice is gone. And strangely, that feels freeing.

Without that option available, I cook. It’s safer. It supports our health. And it removes a whole layer of mental load, decision making and anxiety.

 

The Power of Fewer Choices

I challenge you to think of one area in your life where you could reduce choice.

Where could you simplify?
Where could you remove temptation?
Where could you decide once and stop deciding over and over again?

Sometimes freedom isn’t found in having more options.

Sometimes it’s found in embracing just one.