17 Neuroscience-Backed Hacks to Improve Decision-Making (Even When Your Brain Betrays You)
Sunday, October 16, 2023. A few years ago, after a rash of extremely bad decisions during the toughest time in my life, I researched, for myself, the science of making better decisions. What I have noticed since then is that these 17 ideas worked. I’m offering them to you now, gentle reader, because I’m also invested in also helping you to make better decisions as well. Totally revised Monday, February 3, 2025.
Think you're making rational choices? Think again.
Your brain evolved to survive, not to make optimized financial, career, or relationship decisions. It prioritizes short-term comfort over long-term success, which is why you keep making choices that leave you stuck, broke, or overwhelmed.
Decision-making is not just about logic.
Trauma, anxiety, and even an unregulated nervous system can hijack your ability to think clearly. The good news is that neuroscience has uncovered proven strategies to override these distortions.
This article will introduce 17 powerful ways to outthink your worst instincts, break free from self-sabotage, and start making smarter, stronger decisions.
1. Understand the Internal Battle: You Are a Dyad
Decision-making is often a struggle between two competing forces in your mind:
The Want Brain (W)
Impulsive, pleasure-seeking, and impatient.
Wants instant gratification, dopamine, and comfort.
Pushes for shortcuts, indulgences, and quick fixes.
The Must Brain (M)
Strategic, patient, and long-term focused.
Plans, delays gratification, and follows through on commitments.
Knows what is necessary for optimal outcomes.
Your success depends on which voice wins when making decisions.
2. Decide in Advance to Override Impulse
One of my clients struggled with excessive online shopping. Her solution was simple but effective: she installed a website blocker for sites like Etsy and Alibaba. By making the decision before she was emotionally activated, she prevented impulse spending.
Pre-commitment is a well-documented strategy in behavioral economics. Research by Laibson (1997) shows that structuring decisions ahead of time reduces impulsivity.
This approach applies to every area of life:
Set automatic savings deposits to prevent overspending.
Plan meals in advance to avoid unhealthy food choices.
Schedule workouts in your calendar to eliminate excuses.
3. Slow Down Your Decision-Making Process
The faster you decide, the more likely it is that W is in control. Research in Nature Neuroscience (Bogacz, 2007) found that deliberate, slower decision-making leads to better long-term choices.
Instead of reacting, create a pause between urge and action:
Count to ten before making an impulsive decision.
Ask yourself, “If I had to justify this to my future self, would I still do it?”
Sleep on major decisions before committing.
Slowing down allows M to regain control.
4. Conduct a Cost-Benefit Exploration, Not Just an Analysis
Traditional advice says to weigh costs and benefits, but research suggests that most people only focus on one side. Either they fixate on the risks or get swept up in the benefits without considering downsides.
A well-balanced decision includes:
What are the opportunity costs? If you choose one option, what are you giving up?
What happens if you delay the decision?
How will this choice affect your future self in a year?
Making decisions without considering both sides leads to distorted judgment.
5. Reframe the Problem to Change Your Perspective
Cognitive science shows that context determines perception. The way you frame a decision impacts the choice you make.
Instead of “I have to save money,” try “I am building financial freedom.”
Instead of “I need to work out,” say “I am strengthening my body.”
Instead of “I should quit junk food,” think “I fuel my body with what it deserves.”
Reframing shifts the emotional weight of a decision, making the optimal choice feel more compelling.
6. Beware of False Patterns: Correlation is Not Causation
Your brain is designed to see patterns, even when none exist.
For example, there is a strong correlation between ice cream sales and shark attacks. Does eating ice cream increase your risk of being bitten? No. Both rise because of hot weather, but one does not cause the other.
This thinking error affects investment decisions, health choices, and relationship assumptions. Before making a decision, ask:
Is this a true cause-effect relationship?
Am I mistaking coincidence for causation?
What other factors could explain this outcome?
By questioning patterns, you avoid being manipulated by faulty logic.
7. Anticipate Your Weaknesses (And Plan for Them)
Certain conditions increase the likelihood of poor decisions:
Hunger reduces self-control (Skrynka & Vincent, 2019).
Sleep deprivation impairs risk assessment (Killgore et al., 2007).
Loneliness makes people more impulsive (Cacioppo et al., 2010).
If you know that your decision-making weakens under specific circumstances, plan ahead to mitigate them.
8. Use Commitment Devices to Control Impulse
A commitment device is a pre-commitment strategy that limits impulsivity. This technique forces M to stay in control by eliminating future temptation.
Examples include:
Only buying junk food in small portions instead of bulk.
Investing in a locked savings account to prevent spending.
Setting up accountability systems for workouts or financial goals.
Goldstein et al. (2001) demonstrated that people who use commitment devices consistently make better long-term decisions.
9. Make Decisions as Concrete as Possible
Abstract goals lead to failure. Neuroscience shows that specific, measurable goals lead to higher success rates(Gollwitzer, 1999).
Vague: "I want to exercise more."
Concrete: "I will work out for 30 minutes at 7 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."
Vague: "I need to save money."
Concrete: "I will transfer $200 into my savings account on the first of every month."
10. Recognize the Influence of Stress on Your Decisions
Stress distorts decision-making by making people focus only on potential rewards while ignoring risks. Research by Mather & Lighthall (2012) found that under stress:
People overestimate rewards and underestimate downsides.
They ignore long-term consequences of their choices.
If you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed, delay major decisions until you are calm.
11. Imagine Your Decision Will Be Reviewed by Someone You Respect
When people believe they will be evaluated, they make better decisions.
Ask yourself:
Would I proudly explain this decision to a mentor?
If a trusted friend analyzed my reasoning, would it hold up?
What would my future self say about this choice?
Adding external perspective improves clarity and reduces emotional distortion.
12. Make “One-Shot” Decisions
Self-indulgent deals with yourself lead to rationalizing bad choices.
For example:
“I’ll eat this cake today, but eat healthy tomorrow.”
“I’ll spend extra money this month, but make up for it later.”
Avoid this trap by making single-instance choices:
“Am I honoring my values right now?”
“Would I make this same decision again tomorrow?”
13. Recognize When You Are Being Manipulated by Emotional Narratives
Emotional stories are often used to influence decisions. Advertisers, politicians, and even your own mind use highly vivid narratives to push a certain choice.
Before making a decision, identify:
Are emotions distorting the facts?
Am I reacting to a compelling story or actual data?
By removing emotional noise, you make clearer, better-informed choices.
14. Understand Decision Importance (Not Everything Matters Equally)
Some decisions are trivial and don’t need over-analysis. Learn to differentiate between:
Low-stakes decisions (just pick and move on).
High-stakes decisions (take your time, research, and evaluate consequences).
15. Never Make Important Decisions While Hungry
Hunger reduces patience and increases impulsivity (Skrynka & Vincent, 2019).
When hungry, people:
Choose short-term over long-term rewards.
Are more impulsive with money.
Always eat before making major financial or life choices.
16. Remember That Rational Thinking is a Skill
Just reminding yourself to think rationally improves decisions.
Before choosing, say:
“I will analyze this rationally.”
“I will consider long-term consequences.”
It sounds simple, but it activates the prefrontal cortex, increasing logical reasoning.
17. Sleep on Big Decisions
Sleep strengthens logical reasoning and emotional regulation.
Many impulsive choices feel less compelling the next morning. If unsure, wait until after a full night’s rest before deciding.
Final thoughts
Decision-making is a trainable skill. The more you understand how your brain misfires, the more control you gain over your life.
The techniques outlined here, drawn from neuroscience and behavioral psychology, can help you:
Override impulse-driven decisions.
Strengthen long-term thinking.
Build habits that align with your goals.
By mastering these hacks, you’ll not only make better decisions, but you might also create a life that is richer, stronger, and more intentional.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
Laibson, D. (1997). Golden eggs and hyperbolic discounting. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 112(2), 443–477.
Skrynka, J., & Vincent, B. T. (2019). Hunger increases delay discounting of food and non-food rewards. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 26(5), 1729–1737.
Mather, M., & Lighthall, N. R. (2012). Both risk and reward are processed differently in decisions made under stress. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(2), 36–41.
Bogacz, R. (2007). Optimal decision-making theories: linking neurobiology with behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 8(5), 423–435.
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.
Killgore, W. D. S., Balkin, T. J., & Wesensten, N. J. (2006). Impaired decision making following 49 h of sleep deprivation. Journal of Sleep Research, 15(1), 7–13.
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., & Thisted, R. A. (2010). Perceived social isolation makes me sad: Five year cross-lagged analyses of loneliness and depressive symptomatology in the Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study. Psychology and Aging, 25(2), 453–463.
Goldstein, D. G., Johnson, E. J., Herrmann, A., & Heitmann, M. (2008). Nudge your customers toward better choices. Harvard Business Review, 86(12), 99–105.
O'Donoghue, T., & Rabin, M. (1999). Doing it now or later. American Economic Review, 89(1), 103–124.
Liberman, N., & Trope, Y. (1998). The role of feasibility and desirability considerations in near and distant future decisions: A test of temporal construal theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 5–18.
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. Yale University Press.
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291.
Ariely, D., & Wertenbroch, K. (2002). Procrastination, deadlines, and performance: Self-control by precommitment. Psychological Science, 13(3), 219–224.
Loewenstein, G., & Prelec, D. (1992). Anomalies in intertemporal choice: Evidence and an interpretation. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 107(2), 573–597.
Metcalfe, J., & Mischel, W. (1999). A hot/cool-system analysis of delay of gratification: Dynamics of willpower. Psychological Review, 106(1), 3–19.
Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., & Tice, D. M. (2007). The strength model of self-control. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(6), 351–355.
McClure, S. M., Laibson, D. I., Loewenstein, G., & Cohen, J. D. (2004). Separate neural systems value immediate and delayed monetary rewards. Science, 306(5695), 503–507.
