Ways to make decisions quickly.
Decisions. Decisions and more decisions.
They’re part of every moment of our lives.
From the simple ones, like should I eat an egg or cereal for breakfast?
to the major ones like move across the country or stay?
Making decisions can be so stressful and extremely overwhelming.
In this blog, let’s look at ways to make decisions quickly and easily.
Make decisions quickly-Know your decision making style.
Everyone approaches choices differently.
Are you the impulsive type or the methodical planner?
The Impulsive Decision-Maker:
This person makes quick and impulsive decisions based on gut feeling.
While this can lead to fast action, it can also result in unexpected problems.
Haste makes waste !!
It happens with everyone at some point or the other.
When we see a “limited-time offer” on something,
without thinking about the budget, sometimes we end up buying it.
Later, realising there wasn’t any immediate requirement for it.
But the pull of limited offer is so strong that its irresistible at that moment..
The Analytical Decision-Maker:
This person likes to gather all the information, weighs pros and cons carefully, and might even ask other people or even experts before deciding.
While such thoroughness is good, it can lead to analysis paralysis !!
One gets stuck in the research phase and never take action..
I have experienced it myself.
I needed to redo my living room.
I spent weeks researching new furniture online and offline.
I was so bogged down in comparing materials that I couldn’t choose a sofa!
It resulted in delaying the redecoration project by weeks !
So now I just give few days for research and am done.
The Balanced Decision-Maker:
The ideal decision-maker looks at the important facts, trusts their instincts, and takes decision without wasting much time.
So now I can proudly state that I fall in the last category, the ideal decision maker.
It took some deliberate effort on my part but I was able to do it.
“Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.” – Phil McGraw (a punny take on getting things done)
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Here I will list some ways that will help in the decision making process.
Ways to make decisions quickly
1. Simplify Your Options
Thinking about choosing a movie on a streaming service??
With thousands of options, it can take forever to pick one.
Instead, narrow it down:
Rule of Three: Choose three movies you’re interested in, then decide from those.
Pre-define Criteria: Decide on a genre or a director you like before browsing.
Use Decision Trees
Imagine you’re deciding what to have for dinner.
A decision tree can help:
Home-cooked or takeout?
If home-cooked, pasta or salad?
If takeout, pizza or Indian?
2. Be clear about your priorities
Say you’re planning a weekend.
Do you want to relax, explore, or catch up on chores?
Think about Short-term vs. Long-term:
Relaxing now might mean you’ll need to catch up on chores later.
So be clear about your priority and then decide.
3. Know Your Values
If spending time with family is a core value, choose activities that include them.
4. Seek Advice and Collaborate
If possible, ask for advice from others.
If you are thinking about changing jobs, then talk to a mentor or someone in the industry for their inputs.
If you are planning a group trip, then get everyone’s ideas to make decisions that everyone is happy with.
5. Trust Your Intuition
Sometimes you just know.
If you’re looking for a new home and one place feels right, trust that feeling.
Remember the times when your gut feeling was right, like choosing the perfect restaurant on a whim!!
6. “Good Enough” is Okay
Perfection is an illusion.
Go for a “good enough” decision that meets most of your needs and helps you to move forward with confidence.
7. Gather Information (But Don’t Overdo It)
Research is important, but don’t get lost in too much information.
Set a time limit for research and focus on the most relevant details.
8. Pros and Cons Column:
For each option, list the pros (benefits) and cons (drawbacks).
This helps in clearly seeing the outcomes of each choice.
Deciding whether to buy a new phone?
List out the pros (better camera, faster speed) and cons (cost, learning new features).
9. Consider the worst-case scenario
Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?”
This can help you develop a backup plan and manage future risks.
10. Ask for input from people you trust
Sometimes, friends, family, or mentors can offer valuable insights you might have missed.
11. Set a Deadline
Indecision often comes from fear of making the wrong choice.
Set a realistic deadline to make a decision quickly and move forward.
12. Learn From Every Decision
Every choice, good or bad, teaches you something.
Look at the outcome, see what worked, and consider what you might do differently next time.
13. Try and use Decision-Making tools
Picture your to-do list
Urgent and Important: Pay bills due tomorrow.
Important but Not Urgent: Plan a vacation.
Urgent but Not Important: Respond to some emails.
Neither Urgent Nor Important: Scroll through social media.
Considering starting a side hustle for some passive income?
Start by listing your Strengths (skills you have), Weaknesses (time constraints), Opportunities (market demand), and Threats (competition).
RELATED POST:
–TIPS FOR PERSONAL GOAL SETTING
–HOW TO GET MORE FREE TIME TO REDUCE STRESS
–HOW TO EMBRACE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE
Understanding Decision Fatigue
Ever felt exhausted after a long day of making choices?
That’s decision fatigue.
It’s when your ability to make decisions gets worse as the day goes on and you just want to give up!
Understanding this helps you realize why it’s important to save your decision-making energy for what really matters.
How to Beat Decision Fatigue
Establish Routines:
Reduce daily choices by planning your outfits for the week, creating a meal schedule, and setting specific days for running errands.
This gives you more mental space for bigger decisions.
Delegate and Outsource:
Can someone else help with a small decision?
Ask your partner to pick a movie, use a grocery delivery service, or involve your kids in chores.
Schedule Important Decisions:
Make big choices when you’re fresh and focused, usually in the morning or after a good night’s sleep.
Accepting Imperfect Choices:
Fear of making the “wrong” decision can lead to indecision.
Remember, most choices can be changed if needed.
If things don’t go as planned, you can always adapt.
Just take action and don’t overthink:
Sometimes, the best thing to do is just act.
Overthinking can cause missed opportunities.
If you’ve done your research and considered your options, then just go for it!
Sometimes even a “wrong” decision can lead to unexpected benefits!
“Indecision is the thief of time.” – Anonymous
Make decisions quickly
Everyday Examples
Weekend Outfit Decision:
Define Your Values: Do you value comfort, style, or practicality? This helps you choose outfits.
List Your Options: Lay out all your potential outfits the night before.
Pros and Cons: Think about the weather and planned activities for each outfit.
Set a Deadline: Give yourself a time limit to pick an outfit.
Family Movie Night Challenges:
Establish Routines: Choose a specific night for movies and alternate picking or selecting a genre.
Delegate and Outsource: Let everyone take turns picking a movie or use recommendations from a streaming service.
A clutter-free mind leads to a clutter-free decision-making process.
So, simplify your choices, go with your intuition, and move forward knowing that every decision, big or small, is a step you have to take.
Decision-making is a skill you can improve.
By understanding your style, using these tips, and taking action, you can go from avoiding decisions to feeling confident.
Happy decision-making!
Why Decision Making is Difficult?
Decision-making can be tough for many reasons:
1. Too Many Choices
We often have too many options to choose from. This can make it hard to decide because we’re overwhelmed and confused with so many choices.
2. Fear of Making the Wrong Choice
We worry about making a mistake and then regretting it.
This fear can make us doubtful and unsure.
3. Lack of Information
Sometimes, we don’t have all the information we need.
This makes it hard to choose clearly and wisely.
4. Emotions
Our feelings like Stress, anxiety, or emotional attachment, can get in the way.
5. Complex Decisions
Some decisions are complicated and involve many factors.
This complexity can be scary.
6. Pressure from Others
Family, friends, and society can influence our choices.
This pressure can make it hard to make decisions that truly align with what we want.
7. Cognitive Biases
Our brains have certain biases that can affect our decisions.
For example, we might focus only on stuff that supports what we already believe.
8. Limited Time
Having to make decisions quickly can lead to hastily made choices without enough thought.
9. Past Experiences
Previous experiences can effect current decisions.
Bad experiences can make us overly cautious, while good experiences can make us too confident.
10. Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals
Deciding between immediate benefits and future gains can be challenging.
For example, choosing to spend money now or save for later can be tough.
ALSO READ-
–Ways to Motivate Yourself When You Don’t Fell Like it !
–How to get excited about your life ?
–Ways to start a new Chapter in Life.
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Thank you for sharing !!
Such a great article. I think we all need to read this.
I overthink everything
Thanks..
Such an interesting article. And you have come up with some great solutions to overcome indecision.
Thanks for sharing, Eshna! I’ve pinned it on one of my personal Pinterest boards.
Thanks a ton. Really appreciate it.
I fall into the overthinking category, it’s a real curse! I’m consciously trying to “ not sweat the small stuff “ .
i too was an overthinker.. but now i deliberately make an effort not to fall into the loop. Thanks for reading my post.
Clear and snappy points shared across to readers! Thanks for this post
Thanks for the appreciation.