Making excellent decisions is a skill that can benefit you in different ways. However, it is essential to remember that all your decisions might not be agreeable or pleasing to everyone.
Remember, it isn’t always about pleasing others. While deciding on something, stay away from procrastination as slow decision-making can make you seem vulnerable in front of others, especially your competitors.
Whether deciding on something related to your career or personal life, it is essential to analyze different aspects. Your decision has to address the root cause of the problem, and the aim is to resolve it.
Here, we will walk you through six tips to help you make decisions quickly. So, let’s waste no more time and dive into the discussion!
Try Out the Bottom-Up Approach
Well, this is one of the most efficient ways to decide when you are unsure of how to make the next move. When you have different points to consider, you can list them down and analyze each one of them thoroughly. Let’s look at this with the help of a simple example.
For instance, imagine you have your semester examinations coming up in two weeks. And you have four different things to do, where you have to decide which one you would like to do then. They include:
a. Start studying for your examination.
b. Submit your assignments a week before your exams.
c. Attend your music classes as you have a competition next month.
d. Apply for internships you will have to take up in the coming semester.
From here, you can remove the points that you can perform at a later point in time. For instance, you can take out attending music classes and apply for internships. Now you have to select and prioritize from two other options, which is much easier.
Weigh the Situation with Importance and Time
Let’s bring back the previous example into consideration again. You can analyze and decide by weighing these factors based on their importance and time.
You can delay your music classes as the competition is next month. You can also apply for internships later, as both of these tasks aren’t as significant as the others at that time.
Here, by weighing the situation based on time and importance, it will be best to complete your assignment first, and then you can start preparing for your examination.
Similar to this, there can be different scenarios where you will have to decide by weighing various factors.
Don’t Quit on Your Instincts!
Your instincts can be powerful, so don’t quit on them. Sometimes, you might have a gut feeling about something, and your gut would suggest that you opt for something specific. It could be anything ranging from pursuing a course to choosing an outfit for a dinner party.
So, don’t be afraid to opt for what your instincts suggest, as it could be the correct decision.
Consider Your Past Experience
Sometimes, you might have made similar decisions in your past. It will allow you to make quick decisions as you know what works and doesn’t from your previous experiences.
For instance, imagine your friends have asked you to go on an early morning hike with them. Considering you have done this before, you know well if this is something you would like to do again. Based on this, you can decide if you would like to do it or not.
Performing Adequate Research
Yes, research is the cornerstone of any good decision. You can perform your research in plenty of ways, but you have to know when to stop it.
One of the best ways to do so is by considering the 37% rule, which you can find in the book Algorithm to Live By. Here, the focus is on stopping your research at an optimal time and committing to the best option. By doing this, you can avoid dragging your decisions.
Delegating Decision Making
Although this isn’t a method that we would suggest as the best way, you can always seek help while deciding. Sometimes you might reach a point where you can’t decide on something. Under such circumstances, there is nothing wrong with speaking with people you trust and you know will be in a better position to assist you.
But remember that the final decision is always yours. Here, you are only taking their viewpoints and analyzing the situation further.
