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So far, I’ve seen some pretty good posts about the new year. Most involve the consistent themes of improved health, wellness, family, and finances - but then, I found myself wondering, “What comes to my mind when I think about the new year?”
It’s…DECISIONS. Like it or not, the new year will be filled with them, and no matter what line of work you’re in, phase of life, leadership position, etc. - I, you, we…all have to make them and most importantly learn to live with them.
John C. Maxwell said, “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” Every day, humans are charged with making an estimated 35,000 decisions. Assuming people sleep about 7 hours, that’s roughly 2,000 decisions an hour, resulting in about 12,775,000 decisions in one year.
Now, with all of the decisions I know I’ll have to make this year – some more than once, some much bigger than the other, some pretty easy, and no doubt there will be the hard ones – it’s clear that the better decisions we make, the better our 2023 will be.
So, what better way to go into the new year than with a few tips on how you can improve your decision-making skills in 2023. Of course, there are lots of suggestions online. I personally found this article on Indeed.com to be the one that resonates with me the most.
Here are my top six favorites on their list:
Try not to overthink. The more you overthink, the more likely you are to make a decision you wouldn’t normally make. Be sure to weigh the pros, cons, and consequences, but don’t let overthinking the decision create doubt, undue stress, or decision paralysis.
Don’t shy away from your mistakes. You’re going to make one; don’t waste it. Mistakes are opportunities to learn, grow, and evolve – they’re also unavoidable. When you make one, accept accountability, learn from it, and then move on. When you do, you’ll be armed with greater knowledge, experience, and confidence.
Manage your emotions. Major decisions most often come with major consequences and emotions, both good and bad. Emotions should play a part in the decision process, but be aware that if you’re feeling too emotional, you could find yourself making an irrational decision. Keep building your emotional intelligence and find ways to check yourself and your state-of-mind before coming to a decision that you might regret.
Accept the possibility of making a poor decision. Being a better decision-maker will involve risks. With risks can come a variety of rewards but also, unfortunately, the risk of failure or making the wrong decision. When you accept the possibility that you could make the wrong decision, it provides the opportunity to contemplate the worst-case scenarios and what plans B, C, and D might look like.
Stay true to your values. This is key for me. I’ve learned that if I make decisions aligned with my integrity and values, I can live with almost any decision I make. This is hard to do for so many reasons. And sometimes the weight of the variables involved puts us in a position where we have to ask ourselves really hard questions, knowing our choice can and will significantly impact our careers, finances, and family. However, staying true to your values will give you confidence and the ability to accept the outcomes if they’re not what you had hoped.
Use data. With so much helpful information at our fingertips, why would anyone choose to ignore solid data from a credible source? The information you find can help you and your team make a hard decision easier or provide others with the information and evidence they need to get on board with an idea.
So, when finding yourself feeling “stuck,” “fearful,” or “paralyzed” by a hard decision, remember to give yourself the time to use the tools and experience you have to make a good one and reap the results.
Here’s to making the best decisions we can in 2023!
Lisa Davis
Sources:
Indeed Editorial Team. (2020, July 23.) 12 Ways to Make Better Decisions. indeed.com
Graff, F. (2021, August 13.) How Many Decisions Do We Make In One Day? pbsnc.org
Krockow, E. (2018, September 18) How Many Decisions Do We Make Each Day? psychologytoday.com
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