Introduce
Teacher introduces the topic of ‘Freedom Traps’ with a short personal story or example (e.g. “Have you ever spent 20 minutes scrolling Netflix and still ended up rewatching The Office?”)
Students respond to the question
“Have you ever felt overwhelmed by having too many options?”
Teacher briefly defines ‘decision fatigue’ – the mental exhaustion we feel after making too many decisions.
Watch & Discuss
Watch the “Too Much Choice” clip and then participate in a class discussion. Depending on time and dynamic this could be a mix of whole-class and/or small group responses to the following questions.
- How much choice is too much?
- Why do we believe that more choices make us more free?
- What are some everyday examples of decision fatigue in your life?
- Can too much choice distract us from more meaningful decisions?
Respond
Students reflect and respond to the prompt below. Responses can be written or a think-pair-share.
“What is one area of your life where you could simplify your choices or habits to gain more clarity or peace?”
Extension
Encourage a personal or group challenge to simplify one area of life (e.g. phone use, clothing, schedule). Students come up with an area to focus on, a plan to make some real changes and a set of goals to measure.