I think you're approaching this from the wrong angle. The problem isn't that you've got some sort of decision-making paralysis; indeed, I'd argue that based on

I think you're approaching this from the wrong angle. The problem isn't that you've got some sort of decision-making paralysis; indeed, I'd argue that based on the criteria you're determining, you're being very rational. Instead, the problem lies in the detailed --and maybe often unrealistic-- criteria that you're assigning to each and every life decision, small or large. Take the phone example you gave. You wanted USB-C, NFC, and under $200. A quick Google confirms that achieving 2/3 would have been easy, but placing those constraints on your decision, and then having the sheer bloody-mindedness to stick to those constraints, even after the first disappointment... that's at the root of your issue. Take the second example - the case. You have found cases which matched your requirements already, but then you placed the further constraint of not buying online because "shipping makes it expensive and inconvenient". (Passing over whether this is really true) again, it's your insistence on unrealistic criteria which complicates things. (It reminds me an old adage from my car-modifying days: 'cheap, fast, and reliable; you can have any two'. In your two examples, you're demanding cheap, fast, and reliable.) There is no easy solution to this. Something has to give. So instead, just be honest with yourself. If you want to continue to make life choices that are based on very stringent criteria, and also want to get those perfect items at a low price and even locally... well, you've got to accept that in most cases, the trade-off is that it's going to be difficult and time-consuming. That's where you are now. Alternatively... try to see the your decision constructs for what they are, and in cases where a quicker resolution is ideal (I'd suggest that, for your own sake, this is actually most of the time, unless you're really gratified by the research process) try to flex somewhere along the line - either flex your stringent criteria, or accept that you're going to have to pay more, or use mail-order, or whatever. In particular, you appear to be very cost conscious - phone under $200, not wanting to pay for shipping, or a $2 ride. Is this really vital for your survival, or is this just learned frugality? If it's truly vital, then flex your other criteria. Otherwise, you'll find that spending a little extra money in the right places usually makes things go a lot lot smoother :). (I've personally never found that the mental model of assigning a value to my time and using this as a lever to alter the way I spend my time works --as to me, my free time is, well, free-- but YMMV.)