Making decisions can be a difficult, time-consuming process and pretty overwhelming for some of us.
If you feel you’re struggling too much to make a forthright choice and it’s becoming an issue, it’s important to identify the problem and begin assessing possible solutions.
Some choices can, of course, take a great deal of deliberation if they are going to have a major impact on your life. A career switch or move abroad of course requires careful consideration.
However, you shouldn’t waste time on whether or not you should order takeout or go to the cinema. Tools like a Yes or No Wheel are ideal for making swift decisions on the more trivial matters of life.
In this article, we will offer tips to help save time when facing tough choices.
Make better decisions in less time
Improving your decision-making in less time is a skill and that skill needs to be developed through practice.
One approach is to quickly write down a pros and cons list. This will allow you to compare the positives and negatives in an efficient way and could perhaps even show how you really feel about the situation. Looking at things in an objective way will help you to make an informed decision.
One should also take into account any potential risks associated with the decision and assess how likely it is that something could go wrong based on the choice.
Learn techniques for rapid decision making
To become more proactive in decision-making, it’s important to understand the process of how choices are made. Gather all the relevant information needed to make an informed decision.
Do research, assess the situation and then act. Once you have weighed up the short-term and long-term consequences of your choice, take action as soon as possible as the longer the wait, the more can change and doubt can creep back in. Be assertive and confident with your decision.
If you feel overthinking is having a negative effect on your decision-making, it may be an idea to practise mindfulness. This can help you remain focused and avoid getting distracted by irrelevant thoughts that try to creep in.
Strategies to help halt over-analyzing a decision
Over-analyzing a decision can be a major source of stress and anxiety and mean that finally making a choice can feel almost impossible.
There are several strategies to consider which can halt overthinking.
The first is to set a time limit. Give yourself a deadline on when a choice must be made. This will stop you from getting stuck into an endless cycle of indecision.
Another solution is to talk it through. Discussing the decision with a friend or family member can help see your options from another perspective. A loved one will have your best interests at heart and so will help make the right choice for you.
Don’t forget to also trust your gut instinct when making decisions. If one of the possible choices doesn’t feel right, it likely isn’t. If it does feel right, just go for it!
