How to Make Better Decisions?
Have you ever felt that you are incapable of making a decision? Whether big or small, have you ever felt that you always get it wrong? And has it ever made you think you are not smart enough? Well, we all have gone through this.
The Last Bad Decision I took
For me, the last time it happened was a few months ago. It was 5 pm, and I was coming home from work. And it was the last day of the rainy season. Since I took my bike to work, I had my raincoat on. It wasn’t pouring rain on this particular day. But it was strong enough that I had to put on my raincoat. As I got ready to leave, someone texted me on my phone. My phone vibrated. I took it out of my pocket, replied, and put it back. But this time, I put it in the pocket of my raincoat, thinking that would give me access to my phone easier, just in case I had to take it again. And I came home. As I rode home, the rain kept getting stronger and stronger. But it didn’t bother me because I had my raincoat on.
Only once I reached home did I realize that my coat’s pocket was filled with water and my phone was dead. I tried everything to get it working again. I soaked it in rice. I tried charging it, and it was to no avail. The next day, I went to the repair shop, and they told me my phone was dead.
So, in need of a phone, I did my research. I talked to my friends. One friend told me about a shop from which I could get a new one for a much cheaper rate. But when it comes to it, I just went to the mall and bought my phone from there.
The next day, I was showing my phone to my friend, and he then asked me why I ended up buying it from the mall because I could have gotten an iPhone for a cheaper rate from the place he told me about. And I felt so dumb.
Over the next few days, I could not stop blaming myself for the oversight. In fact, I sometimes still feel guilty about making this wrong decision even today.
Accidentally Finding Help
It wasn’t the only wrong decision I had taken over the past few months. I have made several others.
But the other day, I was thinking about why this was happening and decided to check if there was a way I could make better decisions. I wanted to know why I was always making bad choices. I tried to read about it and find the root cause of the problem. It was then I came across Decision Fatigue.
Before we get into it
Before going into details on decision Fatigue, I want to talk to you about two interesting stories.
First, a study was conducted in 2011 where a group of judges were monitored on whether they offered the prisoners a chance of parole or not. The results reveal that the people who met the judges in the morning were far more likely to get parole than the ones who met them in the afternoon.
Another case is of Former President Barack Obama and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. These are two brilliant men from our generation. How did they become so better at decision-making? How did they always make the right decision?
Well, Barack Obama credits his success to the fine-tuned routine of daily habits. What does this mean? Well, he avoids making trivial decisions. For example, during his presidency, Barack Obama only wore two different kinds of suits: blue or grey. This way, he managed to preserve energy.
Similarly, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg is famous for wearing only casual clothes.
Decision Fatigue? What is it?
Decision fatigue is the mental exhaustion you get after making so many decisions daily. It is where your brain has overworked making different decisions and can impede your ability to make the right decisions.
This will lead you to
- Procrastinate
- Make poor choices.
- Overanalyze decisions and reach a point where you can’t make any.
This can happen to anyone, regardless of the field you work in.
How Does Decision Fatigue Happen?
Everything we do requires energy. Whether it is physical or mental. The studies prove that individuals have a daily threshold for making decisions. Once that is reached, they struggle to make the right choice or give things serious thought.
When you make many consequential or high-stakes decisions, it will use your threshold. The same happens if you have a higher stress level. Being a perfectionist is another factor that can contribute. The ambition for flawlessness in every decision will eat up your energy. And finally, lack of sleep. Sleep is essential for your mental and physical well-being. It helps you restore your cognitive function. So, if you are not getting enough sleep the next day, it is going to be harder to make decisions.
What Do the Experts Say?
According to a Psychiatrist and chief wellness officer at Henry Ford Health System, an AMA Health System Program member, Dr. Lisa MacLean, MD, “A person with decision fatigue may feel tired, have brain fog or experience other signs and symptoms of physical or mental fatigue. This phenomenon is cumulative, so as the person makes more decisions, they may feel worse or more drained as the day progresses.” According to Dr. MacLean, the more choices you make a day, the more your brain gets exhausted, and the more it will look for shortcuts. She says that procrastination, impulsivity, avoidance, and indecision are the four main symptoms of Decision Fatigue.
How to Overcome Decision Fatigue?
So, with no fault of yours, you already know why you are bad at decision-making. Now, let’s see how we can overcome this.
- Delegate
You don’t have to make every decision. There are things that others can manage. Identify them and delegate.
2. Reduce the number of things you have to decide.
Like I said in the story of Barrack Obama, don’t waste time making trivial choices.
3. Prioritize yourself
Make sure you sleep properly, eat right, and exercise regularly. These can have a significant impact as these things can put you in a good mood.
4. Seek help
Working with a professional always helps. If needed, don’t be afraid to get one.
Conclusion
So, the next time you are about to make an important decision, pay attention. Analyze your day. See if you have met your threshold.
Also, readjust your life so that you have a sufficient mental threshold when making decisions.
