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5 ways to make difficult decisions faster

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To make the right decision, you don't have to spend a lot of time thinking about it, says time management expert Elizabeth Grace Sanders. Here are the methods she recommends.

To begin with, you should set yourself up for successful decision making. This process has three stages.

Take time to think
Of course, you don't have time. But if you are pressed for time, then this is a signal that you should generally reconsider the planning of daily tasks. Paradoxically, in order to make quick decisions, you need to set aside time for this. Making decisions is a task that needs a lot more attention than you can usually give when you wake up in the middle of the night with an anxious thought about an urgent problem that you still haven't solved.

You may need to set aside 30 minutes or an hour to think about small decisions. For more serious ones, a few hours over a period of two or three weeks. No matter how much time you set aside for making a decision, it is important to make sure to mark it on your calendar and to adhere to the chosen schedule on a regular basis.

Decide which decision you need to make
Before making a decision, you need to understand the nature of the choices you make. For example, if you are thinking of changing jobs, then such a decision will affect not only your job responsibilities, but also the way to the office, salary, colleagues, and more. By identifying the key factors that will affect your decision, you will quickly understand whether you are really happy with this or that choice (and why). Maybe a new job offer sounds attractive, but you can't take two hours to get to it every day.

Consider all your options
Do not limit your choice to only the words "yes" or "no". Before making a decision, consider all possible options - perhaps you will find some trade-offs and alternatives that you did not notice right away. It's also worth considering whether you need to make any decision at all. Sometimes you can just go with the flow without interfering.

These were the basic principles of decision making. Now let's move on to methods that will help you make your choice faster. Each of them will suit different situations.

Rely on your principles
If you have principles that you are trying to adhere to in life, it will be easier for you to make difficult decisions. For example, you know you want to spend a certain amount of time with your family, or a baseline level of debt that you don't want to exceed. When you need to make a decision about a business trip, getting a job with a long commute to the office or making a major purchase, you immediately understand that this or that decision will be contrary to your principles.

Talk through the options
It helps some people to voice all decisions. If you are one of them, then the fastest way you can make a decision after discussing it. It is not necessary to talk about this with knowledgeable people. You just need a good listener to give you the opportunity to speak. Most likely, by the end of your conversation, you yourself will make a decision, even if your interlocutor says almost nothing.

Get an outside opinion
Sometimes you really need someone's advice. If you are going to do something that you have never done before, it is better to ask for advice from someone who has already been in a similar situation. If you are inclined to make this or that decision, then if you seek advice, you will be able to decide faster. But be careful not to blindly follow any advice. Choices that seem obvious to some may not work for you. If you do not like what you are advised, you do not need to agree and endure. One way or another, the conversation can nudge you towards a better decision.

Try your solution
In some cases, you can test a variant of the decision before making it. For example, if you are offered to move to another city for work, you can first go there and assess the situation or talk with future colleagues in advance. At such moments, you are experiencing a new experience, and your body tells you how comfortable you feel in an unfamiliar environment.

Listen to yourself
Sometimes we can't make a decision, because the brain considers one option to be rational, and the heart says that the other will be correct. In this case, it is worth thinking about what hopes you have. For example, you ask your mentor for advice - what do you hope he will tell you to do? If you want to flip a coin to make a decision, which side do you hope it falls on? We are not the most rational creatures. Sometimes it's right to listen to your own hopes, because sometimes they tell you what kind of decision we really want to make.

Life is full of tough choices, but they don't have to take up a lot of your time. Learn to make decisions quickly, but thoughtfully, so that later you do not have to regret them.