Find helpful resources for improving problem-solving skills, including blog posts, podcast episodes, and TED or TEDx Talks.
Blog Posts
- How to Identify the Real Problem Before Trying to Fix It?
- How to Stop Overthinking and Start Solving Problems?
- How to Choose the Best Solution Without Second-Guessing Yourself?
- How to Handle Problems You Cannot Control?
Problem-Solving Podcast Episodes
- Decision Fatigue: The Psychology of Choice Overload — The Happiness Lab
Click here
Explores why more options do not always lead to better decisions. It discusses choice overload, decision fatigue, and why simplifying some decisions can leave more mental energy for problems that genuinely require careful thought.
TED & TEDx Talks About Problem-Solving
- 5 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking — Samantha Agoos
Click here
A very popular TED-Ed lesson presenting a five-step critical-thinking process. It teaches how to formulate the real question, gather information, examine assumptions, consider consequences, and explore other viewpoints before deciding. - 3 Ways to Make Better Decisions — by Thinking Like a Computer — Tom Griffiths
Click here
Cognitive scientist Tom Griffiths applies computer-science principles to everyday human decisions. The talk provides practical strategies for knowing when to keep searching for better options and when continuing to analyze is no longer useful. - How to Make Smart Decisions More Easily — TED-Ed
Click here
Explains decision fatigue and why making too many choices can reduce the quality of later decisions. It provides strategies for reducing unnecessary decisions and protecting mental energy for choices that matter more. - The Psychology Behind Irrational Decisions — Sara Garofalo
Click here
Explains heuristics—the mental shortcuts people use to solve problems and make decisions quickly. It shows why shortcuts can be helpful but can also produce predictable errors in judgment. - This Tool Will Help Improve Your Critical Thinking — Erick Wilberding
Click here
Introduces the Socratic method as a way of improving reasoning. Asking better questions can reveal hidden assumptions, weak evidence, contradictions, and alternative explanations before deciding what to do. - Find Problem, Solve Problem — Ariana Glantz
Click here
Focuses on developing a solution-oriented approach to everyday challenges. It encourages treating problems as workable situations that can be broken down and acted on rather than immediately assuming they are impossible. - See What You Think: A Recipe for Problem Solving — Mark Sylvester
Click here
Presents a simple five-step framework for approaching overwhelming problems. The talk emphasizes creating a repeatable process instead of relying on inspiration or waiting until the perfect answer appears. - Before You Decide: 3 Steps to Better Decision Making — Matthew Confer
Click here
Provides a practical framework for slowing down important decisions before committing to an answer. It focuses on how the preparation before a decision can improve the quality of the decision itself.
