Life is full of difficult choices, but we don’t have to drain our energy every time

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Editor’s note: We are always faced with decision-making difficulties in our lives. No matter what we do, no matter where we are, it is actually the result of our choice. In order to help us improve the efficiency of decision-making, the author provides a set of decision-making procedures in the article, which is divided into twelve steps, which can lay a solid foundation for improving our decision-making ability, thus making our life journey easy and smooth, not to mention it. And save time and energy. The author of this article Darshak Rana, the original title How to Speed ​​up Your Decision Making.

Image source: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Usually, the most important decision is also the hardest decision to make, because your future and the future of your offspring depend on the outcome of these decisions.

——J.E.B. Spredemann, Englisch

Decision making is an important part of our lives. The decisions we make determine the direction of our lives, so whatever we do, no matter where we are, are actually the result of our choices.

We all believe that failing to make the right decision at the right time is like losing a precious opportunity. But making the necessary decisions in a short period of time can be tricky-they can stimulate our nerves and make us feel anxious and stressed.

A study published in the US National Library of Medicine (National Institute of Health) confirmed that lack of decision-making ability can lead to depression.

If I remember correctly, we all have to face many decision-making moments, such as:

  • Should I get married?

  • What kind of job should I do?

  • Which business school should I choose?

  • Should I accept this job?

  • Should I move?

  • Should I trust my partner?

The dilemma of “do or don’t do it” tears people apart psychologically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

In addition, because there is no proper venting channel, due to the accumulation of this kind of psychological pressure, we may sometimes make the wrong decision and regret it forever in the future. These scenarios will also trigger more mental illnesses, such as depression and hypertension, which will further affect our future choices. I think this is like a vicious circle.

After graduating from high school, when I decided to pursue my own career, I was in a similar situation. Faced with so many choices, and the social pressure of sticking to the rules, I am confused because my mind is wavering between these choices. I have experienced many mental breakdowns and anxiety attacks. I couldn’t sleep at night without taking sleeping pills.

Fortunately, my parents and friends supported me emotionally and spiritually. After that, I consulted many career counselors and psychological counselors.

According to everyone’s suggestions and using my own wisdom, I designed an “algorithm” to help me make decisions easily in any situation. Through this self-made tool, I relieved a lot of mental pressure when making decisions. Moreover, I never need to rely on anyone’s help.

I want to share my experience with you in front of the screen so that you can make confident and independent decisions within a limited time.

So, let’s get started.

Step 1: Explore various options

Whenever we have to make an important decision, we must understand our options. We must start to explore our options, not try to make a decision at the beginning.

When we want to get from one place to another, we will explore different routes and then determine the fastest, shortest and easiest one. So, why not research our options before making any important decisions? After all, these options will affect our lives.

While doing this, we can name them options A, B, C, etc. to save a lot of time when reaching the eleventh step.

Step 2: Weigh the pros and cons

I explored all the options before drawing conclusionsAfter accumulating all the information that can be collected, we must list the pros and cons.

This step not only helps us see the true face of things, but also improves our brainstorming ability.

An article published in the Harvard Business Review pointed out: “This method is useful as an advanced initial thinking aid because it promotes self-awareness, self-reflection, and creativity An attitude that applies a series of different mindsets. In addition, it can eliminate the interference of self-limitation, wishful thinking, and cognitive bias.”

Step 3: Analyze your fears

Furthermore, from a mental health point of view, this is the best tool and probably one of the most important.

It not only speeds up our decision-making process, but also helps us recognize our fears.

Suppose you are doing a job you don’t like, but you can’t quit for 5 years. Then think about it, “What prevents me from looking for more opportunities?” We may get an honest answer from the heart: “Is it afraid of failure, afraid of adapting to the new environment, or fear of getting worse.”

So this tool is like a reagent that can identify the pH of our fears.

Step 4: Anticipate the worst situation

We can combine this step with the third step to anticipate extreme situations.

It is an inevitable tool and is often misunderstood because we misunderstand it as “negative attitude towards results”.

However, this tool is called “risk and crisis management strategy” in the business world, and it helps planners predict “unexpected results if any problems arise.”

We can also use this tool to solve our psychological problems.

Step 5: Analyze the meaning of the decision made

We must analyze the impact of our decision on ourselves, our family, our friends (if important), and colleagues around us at this step. Such analysis allows individuals to imagine results.

Suppose you plan a family vacation for 5 years. This decision may bring happiness to you and your family, but your colleagues seem to be unhappy because it may increase their workload.

So, this tool can also subtly instill a feeling of love for ourselves and our dear ones.

We must consider empathy when making decisions.

Step Six: Check Reversibility

This step also needs to be combined with the previous step, because sooner or later most of our decisionsWill affect our lives.

Some of them can be modified later, while others remain the same.

I call them a reversible and irreversible decision.

Reversible decisions are like two-way lanes, we can change effortlessly (with little or no impact).

Reversible decisions are comfortable because they require less time and because they involve low risk.

On the contrary, irreversible decision-making is like a one-way street. Any obstacle will always trap us on the road.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once wrote in a letter to shareholders that irreversible decisions must be made slowly, must be extremely cautious, must be carefully considered and consulted, because they belong to the high-risk category. In addition, they may have unintended catastrophic consequences that the roundtables cannot brainstorm.

So, we must take this into consideration before making decisions too quickly.

Step Seven: Don’t do it right away

Some of our decisions are impulsive, while others are wise.

Due to human nature and pressure, we react too quickly to situations and sometimes make random decisions.

In addition, many emotions, such as anger, anxiety, ecstasy or confusion, can affect our decision-making.

But the decision we make after a long period of thinking and discussion with our brains is called a wise choice.

Suppose the husband and wife quarreled in the morning, and then they went to work angrily. Now, the employer has given her husband a generous salary and proposed a condition for a job in another place. Since greed and anger had been in his mind since the morning, he accepted the offer without much thought. This spontaneous decision is an impulsive decision.

Worse, what if the decision is irreversible? Imagine the consequences.

So, we must not forget this step and see if there are emotional factors that affect our decision.

Step 8: Take the 5 Y (Why) method

In the 1930s, Sakichi Toyoda developed this technology for the first time in order to solve problems in Toyota Motor Corporation’s production methods.

The 5Y method is an iterative and interrogative process to explore causal situations.

Suppose, you are starving, and you decide to go to a particular restaurant for dinner. Now we take this as an example to introduce the 5Y method.

The first Y-this is the best restaurant in town. The second Y-they have the fastest serving speed. The third Y-they have the best service standards. The fourth Y-their meals are delicious and nutritiousKang. Fifth Y-They hired a gold chef to meet the needs of customers.

Through this analysis, we have come to the reason for deciding to go to that restaurant for dinner.

By examining our decisions in this way, we can truly prove its usefulness.

Step 9: Remember to rest your brain

Our mind is a complex system, which sometimes misleads us with unexpected thoughts at unexpected times. In addition, innovative ideas will not embrace us when we want them, they have their own time and way of appearance.

Historical facts show that most inventions are the result of an unexpected explosion. This is also known as the “Eureka Effect” (Eureka Effect).

So, when you are no longer considering your decision, be sure to give your brain a break. Many ideas should come naturally. This technique has even been verified in the book Miracles of Your Mind by Joseph Murphy (American writer).

Step Ten: Trust your instincts

Trust your instincts and make judgments based on what your heart tells you. Your heart will never betray you.

——David Gemmell, “Fall of Kings”

Not many of us believe in “intuition,” but it does exist. This is a personal choice, and it varies from person to person. However, we all have this inner strength, but we choose to ignore it most of the time.

Step 11: Develop Plan B

This step is by far the most critical step. We forget this step most of the time. Sometimes we are dazzled by overconfidence and ignore this step.

We hardly use spare tires, which are always thrown in the trunk. However, when you are trapped in a remote deserted place, the spare tire comes in handy.

So, if we make a mistake in our previous decision, wouldn’t it be wise to prepare a backup plan for our life decisions?

This step should be combined with the first step, because you can choose from various options.

Step 12: Review your decision

Write like a baby, edit like a boss.

The last step is a process of sharpening the decision making so that the individual can make firm decisions. The main purpose of this tool is to judge from the perspective of an expert.

In addition, this step gives the individual a decisive power to focus on an idea later without regret.

Write at the end

Life is full of difficult choices, but we don’t have to drain our energy every time.

So, using the twelve steps mentioned above can lay a solid foundation for improving our decision-making ability, and make our life journey easy and smooth, not to mention the time and energy saved by it.

This set of procedures can help me effectively get out of the predicament every time, and I hope it will help you too.

Translator: Hi Tang