By Business & Finance 
Research reveals that 80% of people think they make up to 50 choices a day, but, in reality, it runs in to the thousands, according to expert Dr Eddie Murphy.
Research carried out by Carphone Warehouse among over 1,000 Irish adults examined what influences our daily life choices. According to the research, 60% of men say they make decisions and stick to them, compared to 44% of women.
Just over a quarter of men (27%) say they are indecisive, while 42% of women say find it hard to make a decision.
However, while it may appear on the surface that men are more decisive, clinical psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy says it doesn’t necessarily mean they are better decision makers.
“While men say they are more decisive this doesn’t necessarily mean they tend to make better decisions,” he says. “What this shows is that men tend to be more impulsive.”
The majority (84%) of people questioned say they have chosen to tell a lie at some point in their life.
Reasons for lying include not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings (56%) and 24% say it was simply easier to lie than tell the truth.
Women are more likely to choose to tell a lie to spare someone’s feelings at 63% compared to 49% of men.
Salary and personal fulfilment are the two most influential factors when choosing a career (32% and 31% respectively) followed by lifestyle (15%).
Only 3% say the commute is a deciding factor when selecting a job and a mere 2% say travel opportunities influence their decision-making process.
Salary is more likely to influence men with 35% saying that would be the main factor when choosing a career while 34% of women say personal fulfilment is more important than salary.
Dr Murphy added: “Ireland’s best known clinical psychologist says that many people under estimate how many choices they make each day. The research reveals that 80% of people think they make up to 50 choices a day but in reality, it runs in to the thousands. Having choice in your life is having control.
“Control is fundamental to our survival and so is how we adapt to change. Our powerful unconscious keeps us seeking control, and it’s the desire for control that keeps us seeking choices. Choice is also linked to change and change is a constant feature for humans we change or we die. It’s how we adapt to change that is fundamental to our happiness and quality of life.”
