Better decision-making through anger

The commonly-held belief is that anger and rational thought don't exactly go hand in hand. So, if follows that when you lose your temper, you're probably not making the best decisions, right?

Apparently not. A recent study from the University of California, Santa Barbara, says that past research showing that angry people were less analytical was, essentially, missing the point. They believed, that instead of making "snap decisions" based on stereotypes or faulty logic, incensed people were actually doing a better job of thinking quickly and weeding out unnecessary information than their calmer counterparts.

At first, it doesn't seem to make sense, as you'd expect a calmer person to more thoroughly weigh all the options and come to a more thoughtful decision. But when people are a little peeved, they're more motivated to find the best solution as quickly as possible.

Other studies have also found that an appropriate amount of anger can be a positive thing. It helps people feel confident, and in control -- both of which can empower a person to make better decisions.

So don't beat yourself up the next time something trips your trigger -- getting a little angry never hurt anyone, and it might just make you more productive.