Random musings: So how do you make a decision?

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

So how do you make a decision?

This is a followup to yesterday's post about willpower and how to avoid decision fatigue. This post is from my SendOutCards blog. Check it out and sign up for my email list so you can get these delivered to your inbox twice a month.

Making decisions is hard and exhausting work. As an entrepreneur you make hundreds of choices each day that you are solely responsible for. It can sap all of your strength and willpower to think through each one and weigh the pros/cons. Why not learn to make it a little easier on yourself? Here are a few ways:

time to decide concept clock closeup on white background with red and black words

Avoid too much information. More is always better right? Not always. You can’t predict the future no matter how much information you have. When you begin to focus on too much data collection and information to weigh your decisions, you will begin to place extra value on that information. Instead give yourself a timeline to do your research, weigh it out and then decide what you are going to do. Remember you can always change your mind and go back if it didn’t work. Don’t keep looking for more information or reasons to waffle.

Ask for a second opinion. Be willing to talk decisions over with a mentor or friend who can provide a second opinion. You can miss out on different perspectives and attitudes that could influence your decision making when you only take your own opinion into account.

Set a timeline for small decisions. Big decisions require research, planning and preparation, but as a business owner you are responsible for all the daily small decisions. Agonizing over trivial matters will only increase your stress level and harm your productivity. Instead give yourself a time limit for making small decisions and then just follow through. If it doesn’t work, then make a different choice and try that out. For small matters you have the flexibility for trial and error – and you can use that to your advantage.

The way we make decisions is very personal, but understanding how to prioritize and seek new perspectives can make it a little easier. Learn to make choices and your life will seem a lot easier!