Fast, Slow, and Focused: Support Your Brain with the D-I-S-E Method

Do you ever feel like your brain has two personalities? One makes snap decisions, the other’s a librarian who insists on reading every footnote before acting. Welcome to the world of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. The book reveals how our minds juggle two systems of thought, with very mixed results.

Here’s the twist: you can use this brain science to build smarter routines. Enter the D-I-S-E method - Deadlines, Information, Sizing, and the Eisenhower Matrix. It can act as your toolkit for taming impulsive decisions and nudging your brain toward clarity and momentum.

Kahneman’s Big Idea: Two Systems, One Brain

• System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional. It’s the part of your brain that finishes your friend’s sentence before they do, or buys a novelty hat because “it felt right.”

• System 2 is slow, deliberate, and logical. It’s the part that reads the fine print, double-checks the budget, and wonders if that hat was really necessary.

Both systems are useful, but System 1 often hijacks our routines with shortcuts (known as "heuristics") and biases. Kahneman calls out a few key traps:

• Cognitive Ease: We prefer what’s familiar and simple, even if it’s wrong. The brain aims to work with the least amount of effort and energy and takes shortcuts.

• WYSIATI (“What You See Is All There Is”): We make decisions based on the info in front of us, ignoring what’s missing.

• Planning Fallacy: We underestimate how long things will take, because System 1 is an optimist with no calendar.

Enter D-I-S-E: The Bias-Busting Toolkit

Here’s how each D-I-S-E factor helps you shift from impulsive to intentional. Remember, Deadlines, Information and Sizing are all factors to support your prioritisation and use of the Eisenhower Matrix (where you consider Urgency and Importance - more info here):

• Deadlines: Kahneman's system 1 will look for cognitive ease and tends towards procrastination. By always assessing deadlines you can force system 2 to engage, and add urgency and structure.

• Information: What You See Is All There Is (WYSIATI) is another shortcut system 1 looks to take. By always questioning whether you have enough information you bring system 2 into play, and encourage exploring deeper context before acting.

• Sizing: Planning shortcuts and optimism reside with system 1. But, if you build a habit of considering the overall task by using D-I-S-E, accuracy improves, and consideration is given to the how - for example breaking tasks into chunks or time-boxing.

Practical Tips to Apply D-I-S-E

Deadlines

• Use time-boxing: “I’ll spend 25 minutes on this, then stop.” The Pomodoro Technique is a good way to break down tasks into action.

• Deadlines activate System 2 by creating a boundary. No more endless tweaking, or procrastination.

Information

• Ask: “What am I not seeing?”

• Before making a decision, consciously query whether you have all the facts. This slows down System 1’s rush to judgment.

Sizing

• Use T-Shirt Estimation: S/M/L/XL for task size.

• This helps you check system 1's optimism, and forces your brain to consider uncertainty. System 2 loves this kind of nuance and will jump into full effect.

Wrap-Up: From Bias to Brilliance

Our brains are wired for efficiency, and the shortcuts we take are evolutionary tools designed to help us navigate a complex world with limited time and energy. System 1 thinking, though prone to bias, allows us to make rapid decisions in familiar or urgent situations. These mental shortcuts aren’t signs of laziness; they’re cognitive superpowers that let us cross busy streets, interpret facial expressions, or choose dinner without burning out our analytical reserves. In fact, studies show that we instinctively favour simplicity and speed because our brains are mental economists, seeking the highest return on cognitive investment, and always looking to retain energy reserves. But, we have to be sure those shortcuts aren't going to get us into trouble - so a regular pause to reflect, and use a D-I-S-E tweak can be extremely beneficial.

So this week, try one D-I-S-E tweak:

• Set a micro-deadline.

• Ask what info you’re missing.

• Size a task with S/M/L/XL; break larger tasks into achievable chunks.

• Comment with your results , thoughts and opinions - I'd love to receive your feedback.

Credit to Daniel Kahneman's book: Thinking, Fast and Slow. It's available on Amazon (available here).