Decisions versus actions

I need to stop making decisions. We tend to think of decisions and perception as being decoupled from actions. We perceive, we decide, and then we act. But action and perception are coupled. By acting in the world, we perceive attractors and repulsors along with bifurcation points where new information may lead to new behaviors.

Sitting at my desk, so much of my immediate environment is out of sight, out of mind.

By walking around the house, I might see the sink full of dishes and think about washing them. I’ve reached a bifurcation point. But, if I’ve let the dishes pile up, I have a new problem.

The pile of dirty dishes is a repulsor. That’s why I find if I stack my dirty dishes, I’m much more likely to wash them. Also, if I keep one side of the sink clear of dishes the empty sink becomes an attractor for washing dishes. It’s easy to start filling the sink with water.

And if I keep washing my dishes regularly, the action of washing dishes is much easier. Not just because of the habit, but because the environment encourages washing of dishes.

A mistake I often make is trying to be more efficient by letting the dishes build up. It seems efficient because I’m washing more dishes in a single dish-washing session. But this then leads to an environment that discourages dish washing.

Instead of deciding to wash the dishes, I need to make an environment that encourages the action of washing dishes.