Effective decision making tips from a time management expert
Did you know that on average, people spend 3 hours daily on decisions such as what to wear, eat, watch, and when to sleep? This staggering amount of time can be better managed with effective decision-making strategies.
I’ve also read that we make up to 35,000 decisions each day. Yip, you read that right… thirty five thousand decisions every day. A lot of these happen subconsciously. There are a number of articles online that cite research by Noom in which it was found that we make 122 informed decisions each day. This number seems more reasonable than 35,000!
Mastering the art of decision making is a great skill to cultivate. As a time management coach, I’ve witnessed in my clients the important role that decision making plays in our lives. Every choice we make influences our next steps.
But, it doesn’t have to be complicated. There are strategies that we can use to help make decisions with clarity, ease and confidence.
Struggling with decision fatigue? Learn powerful strategies from a time management coach to simplify and improve your decision-making process.
Common challenges in decision making and how to overcome them
Understanding why we struggle with decisions can help us improve our ability to make decisions down the line. Here are a few reasons behind this challenge:
Fear of making the wrong decision
Fear often prevents u s from making timely decisions, leading to procrastination and indecisiveness. We might be scared of making the wrong decision, which can put us off from making a choice.
Overwhelm from too many choices
There might be too many choices in front of us, which can paralyse us. When my children were little, once they had filled their marble reward jar… I would take them to the supermarket where they could choose a small toy. The selection of toys at the supermarket was small, and so it wasn’t too difficult for them to make their minds up. On one occasion however, we ended up in Hamleys in the city centre. What a mistake!! There were far too many different toys. We went around and around in circles, for what felt like forever. Never again did we visit that shop!
Lack of clarity on values and goals
If you’re not clear on your future vision, your values and your goals it can be difficult to make decisions.
Avoiding conflict
We might delay making choices that could cause conflict.
Analysis paralysis
We can become trapped in a cycle of analysing the options, or striving to make the perfect decision can be paralysing
External pressures
The influence of others or societal expectations can make decision making challenging. Numerous experiments have shown that even the most “normal, well-adjusted people” can be swayed by authority figures and their peers to make bad decisions.
Emotional interference
Our emotions can cloud our judgement; fear, stress, excitement and anxiety can play a part.
Identifying core values to simplify decision making
Identifying what matters most is crucial for effective decision-making. This involves understanding your core values and future vision.
I have a few tools that I use with my time management coaching clients to help determine what it is that’s important to them. One of the most impactful personal development activities at the start of my journey was getting clear on my core values. I’ve also loved working on my future vision. Getting clarity on your values and vision can be really helpful in figuring out what matters to you.
I think what matters most can be seasonal, so it’s good to revisit these exercises from time to time.
There are three creative ways that I like to look for the evidence of our core values:
Look at your photo reel, what trends can you spot?
Understand where you spend your money. If health is a value, are you spending your money on supplements + a gym membership or are you spending your money on take out food? If the environment is a value, are you shopping local?
How are you spending your time? If family is a value, are you spending time with your family? If health is a value, are you carving out time to exercise?
My free Time Audit workbook will help you unpick your core values and future vision.
Using data-driven insights for better decision making
I’m a scientist at heart, and loved mathematics at school… so using data to make decisions is sensible to me. Leveraging data can significantly improve decision-making. By analysing trends, patterns, and correlations, you can make informed decisions in both your personal and professional life.
In my business this looks like gathering metrics each month which I can then use to understand things like: where my best opportunities come from, where my customers are hanging out, what social media platforms are best use of my time and so on. I also gather data in my personal life too, such as screen-time stats, daily step count, sleep quality and so on. I also unpick my finances regularly by creating a monthly budget and tracking my expenditure which I can then use to make decisions.
Business metrics, e.g.
Sales and revenue
Website traffic
Social media follower count
New email subscribers
Personal data, e.g.
Screen-time
Daily step count
Sleep quality / duration
Financial tracking and budgeting
Establishing rules to streamline daily decisions
Creating rules to live by can streamline daily decisions and reduce decision fatigue. Here are some examples:
Bedtime routines
Simplifying TV show selection
Capsule wardrobe
Meal planning
Financial automation
Socialising / networking boundaries
For instance, I know that I need around 8-9 hours of sleep a night and so my bedtime is typically 9pm which then gives me a bit of time to wind down before going to sleep by 10pm. Routines can also reduce decision fatigue, and by reducing the mental load of some activities throughout the day we can conserve energy for the more important tasks. In this case it’s a bedtime routine, but you might have routines for other things - like a morning routine, a routine for exercise – you might have specific days on which you hit the gym or go for a run, key business activities and so on.
I don’t spend time searching for TV shows on Netflix. I tend to go by recommendations, and I store these in a list in my free Asana project management tool. So if I’ve got time mapped out to watch a bit of TV, I can go to my list and make a quicker decision on what to watch.
Another area I’ve streamlined my decisions is my wardrobe. A number of years ago I did Project 333 (where you reduce your wardrobe to 33 items and use only these 33 items for 3 months). You can read more about this here on my previous blog, Glasgow Mummy. I didn’t stick with the 33 items after the 3 months were up, but I did continue with a capsule wardrobe. To this day, the amount of clothes I have is small and I can choose what to wear with relative ease.
Meal planning is another example of simplifying decision making. Planning your meals in advance can save time and mental energy.
There are other rules that I’ve chosen, such as not shopping around if the thing is under £100. For instance, I had a small plumbing repair at my house and the first quote was under £100. I didn’t then spend time getting more quotes - I just went with the first one.
You can automate your finances too, so that you don’t need to make a decision to save or invest money…. This can just automatically happen each month.
In my business, a decision that I’ve made is that I will not attend more than two networking events in a day and I won’t have more than two networking coffee dates each week. So if I get asked to a networking event and I already have an event in the calendar for that day, it’s an easy no.
Harnessing intuition for confident decision making
This is something that’s fairly new to me, but I think we should also consider our gut reaction when it comes to decision making. I have read about people saying it needs to be a ‘whole body yes’ otherwise it’s a ‘no’. But I never really knew what a ‘whole body yes’ was.
What is a ‘whole body yes? It’s when your head, heart and gut all say yes to the decision:
Head - the decision makes sense, there’s logic to it, the data backs it up
Heart - the decision feels good, your emotions say yes
Gut - your intuition says yes, your body says yes. There are a lot of life lessons your body can teach you if you simply learn to listen.
Last year my ‘word for the year’ was intuition, and I have been working hard at trusting my gut instinct. It doesn’t happen often, but very occasionally I will get a reaction in my body when making a decision. One example was when I went to sell my engagement ring post-divorce. And when I was in the jeweller discussing the sale I had a sudden acute pain in my throat. I knew it was the wrong decision at that time.
Top 20 Journal Prompts to Enhance Decision Making Skills
I think journaling can be a really helpful tool for decision making. Here are 20 journal prompts for decision making that you might want to try:
How do I feel about this decision?
What are the implications of this decision?
In a year's time, will you remember this decision?
What information do I need to make the decision confidently?
What are the facts and evidence supporting this decision?
Who do I need to consult to make this decision?
What support do I have to make this decision?
Am I in the right frame of mind to make this decision?
What role is fear playing in this decision?
What is the likely outcome of this decision?
Does this decision take me closer to my future vision?
Is this decision aligned with my core values?
What lessons can I learn from similar decisions in the past?
What are the risks associated with this decision?
What are the potential regrets I might have if I choose one option over the other?
How do I imagine I will feel after making this decision?
What are my instincts telling me?
What compromises am I willing to make?
What advice would I give to a friend who was facing a similar decision?
How do I feel now?
Conclusion
By understanding the root causes of decision-making challenges and implementing practical strategies, we can navigate choices with clarity, ease, and confidence. From determining our core values and future vision to leveraging data-driven insights and establishing rules to live by, there are numerous ways to streamline decision-making processes and conserve mental energy. By embracing these tips and tools, we can reclaim our time, reduce stress, and make decisions that align with our goals and values. So, the next time you find yourself faced with a decision, remember that with the right approach, making choices can become a simpler and more empowering experience.
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