Why do we tend to overcomplicate things?

You have probably asked yourself many times throughout your life “Why do I keep overcomplicating things?”. The answer is simple, we tend to overcomplicate things due to a bias called Complexity Bias. What is this then? And how do we overcome it at The Ned|Lon?

Complexity Bias is our tendency to believe that complex solutions are better than simple ones. Before going in depth to the topic, let’s first define Complexity.

Complexity is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “the state of having many parts and being difficult to understand or find an answer to.” 

We often find it easier to face a complex problem than a simple one. Complexity isn’t always a bad thing; it can keep things fun and interesting. However, it is challenging to maintain complex systems in the long term. Why? It is challenging as we tend to avoid what we perceive as complex. Consider it from the perspective of the fight or flight response. Complexity Bias is the “flight” response, it basically causes us to avoid situations that require a lot of mental effort or are too complicated. For example, imagine you are looking for a house to rent in a city that is experiencing a housing crisis. The demand is high but the number of apartments available is low, and the process is energy depleting. There is a high possibility that the complexity and difficulty of the housing market and rent process can make you feel avoidant, which leads to lower chances of you finding the perfect accommodation. This avoidance would make you put less effort in finding the perfect place for yourself. So, it is a never-ending cycle in which complexity leads to avoidance, avoidance leads to less effort and that leads to unmaintainable procedures. Therefore, the main issue of complexity is that it is unsustainable without effort, constant maintenance and self-organization.

So, how can we overcome this Complexity Bias?

By concentrating on the most basic ideas, picking a system, and sticking with it for a while, we can get over the Complexity Bias. So, going back to our example about the complexity of finding an accommodation not only here at The Ned|Lon we understand the complexity of this particular matter, but we see a much more holistic and complementary picture that is of popular need; moving and storage as well as our marketplace service where one can buy/sell furniture and items. 

The solution is simple; find people who have first hand experience, good knowledge and a strong network that you can consult to. If you think less, you stress less. As The Ned|Lon, we understand this Complexity Bias that people have, and we acknowledge how much stress this can bring. Therefore, we are here to facilitate a comfortable and hassle free experience to students and young professionals when settling and living in their new environments by providing our core services such as; finding housing, moving & storage and buying/selling furniture and items so that you have your mind at ease.