How to make better decisions

Chocolate, vanilla or strawberry? Booking a flight with FlyNamibia to Swakopmund, Sossusvlei or Cape Town? How do we choose between two or more options that seem equally appealing on the surface? How do we make good decisions when life offers us so many choices? Especially when you take into account that decision making usually involves a mixture of intuition, rational thinking as well as non-rational thinking such as blind spots and unconscious biases.

We are all faced with a plethora of choices every day, most of which are straightforward, and we make our decisions in seconds. For example, researchers have discovered that on an average day we make about 226 decisions about food alone.

Other decisions, however, are more complex and may leave us feeling unsure, especially when we are presented with many choices. We think we love choices, because we believe that choice equals freedom, and therefore the more choices we have, the more freedom we have. However, numerous studies have demonstrated that the more choices people are given, the less capable they are of making a decision.

Choices are seldom cut-and-dried, and people are simply not rational. We see this in everything – from fluctuations in the stock market to decisions between saving for retirement or buying a pair of shoes on sale. People more often make choices that go against what an economist would predict or advocate. In fact, there is an entire field of thought – behavioural economics – that demonstrates that people are not always rational when it comes to their decision making.

Yet, as William Jennings Bryan said, “Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice.” Therefore, how we are making our decisions is something worth looking at.

HERE ARE EIGHT TIPS FOR BETTER DECISION MAKING:

1. One of the most sure-fire ways to make the right choices for you is to follow your intuition. When we feel stuck or unable to think clearly about situations it is usually because we are disconnected from ourselves. In such an instance, take a deep breath and connect to your intuition. If the compromise you are facing leaves you with a hollow feeling in your stomach, chances are it is the wrong decision. If, on the other hand, you feel excited when you think about the outcome of a choice then you know it is the right one for you.

2. If you are feeling anxious about a choice you need to make, try to manage your stress levels by taking a walk in nature, participating in a yoga class, practising meditation or spending some time with your friends. Once you have decompressed and feel calmer, you will be more capable of making positive choices.

3. If you have some time to make a decision and do not need to choose immediately, another strategy is to sleep on it. When we take some time to think things through we often process all aspects surrounding the available options and are able to think more clearly and feel confident about the judgements we make.

4. When battling to decide between two or more options, it helps to weigh up the pros and cons of each. When faced with tough choices, it pays off to pause and think about which one will benefit you most.

5. Another important factor to keep in mind is what your goals are. Usually, when you make a judgement based on what is important to you, the right choice becomes obvious and you are more likely to achieve an outcome that will contribute to your overall happiness.

6. Another fantastic way to make a difficult choice is to remove yourself from the situation. Allow yourself to be an outside observer and consider the advice you would give to a friend if they were faced with the same options. Sometimes we are so emotionally invested in the choices that our feelings cloud our judgement. If you are able to view the situation from a third-party perspective, you are much more likely to have clarity on what alternative would be best for you.

7. Beware of social pressure. You may think of yourself as a single-minded individual able to withstand the influence of others, but no one is immune to social pressure. Many studies have shown that even very well-adjusted people can be swayed by figures of authority and their peers to make terrible decisions. The recent pandemic was an excellent example of this. To side-step social pressure, beware of situations in which you feel you have little individual responsibility. Look within when you notice you are making a decision because your friends or your boss would be impressed. Take the time to question yourself and your choices, knowing that if they truly are your choices, you will have the conviction to stand up to being questioned… even if you are the one doing the questioning.

8. Weigh up the short- vs long-term consequences of the different choices you are faced with. Sometimes what may be a fantastic choice for the short term will be detrimental in the long term and vice versa. By taking a look at the outcomes from all angles you will be much better equipped to make the final call.

Decisions are important as they impact many areas of our lives, but while you are making your choices, always remember that, whatever the future holds, it will probably hurt or please you less than you imagine. We have a tendency to think that all good will be amazing and all bad would be the worst. This is not true. Even winning the lottery today would not solve every problem you have. The best outcomes can have stressors and the worst choices can bring their own gifts. Do not let the fear of choosing prevent you from trying.

Kirsty Watermeyer