Just-in-case thinking

The pattern of saving items because they might be needed in some hypothetical future — a tendency that intensifies under uncertainty and decision fatigue.

Just-in-case thinking is one of the most common saving cognitions. It's not wrong — there are always futures in which an item would be useful. The trouble is that the standard for 'might need' is so easy to meet that nothing fails it.

A useful reframe surfaced in soft challenges: 'how would I get one if I needed it?' Most items are replaceable, often easily. That doesn't make them worthless — it just changes the cost of release.