What saves you from bad decisions?

Decisions are a trap – a bonus ruse you get for living life. From the moment we wake up, we make countless choices to go about the day. The very first one being whether to sleep in or to catch the early worm. Amidst so many decisions, what are the odds of a sorry mistake? There is no real figure to quote. But chances are that a decision is more likely to haunt you if you’re making too many already.

At any point, we have all experienced a certain drop in willpower to decide something. Consequently, the exhausted mind goes on to make rash way outs or otherwise known as, bad decisions. This is called “decision fatigue” in psychological terms and it sets in when a person is overly involved in decision-making.

Come to think of it, many of us are horrible at making decisions. It is as if our entire lives are a prolonged aftermath of a regrettable settlement. How do we deal with it?

Cut down choices

Get into a routine. Commitments will deter you away from making choices in every step of the way. What do Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? They do not stress over work wear. Fixing an outfit for work every day can be a tiring start. Instead, they choose to wear that same shade of suit or that same colour of T-shirt every day. Simplifying your options help preserve your mental energy for the more demanding tasks that will show up later in the day. Get started on having the same bowl of cereal every morning. You can always switch to another meal when bored. When eating out, set a budget and ask the waiter to surprise you with a meal. Toss a coin and choose which dress to buy. Just go with the flow. Minimising possible picks does not have to be boring. One can decide what to wear, what to do, what to eat or anything before the scheduled event. This saves the individual from the next day’s minor pickles.

Finish what matters the most

Jot down the top three things that need to be done the next day. Throw your phone away. Turn off all notifications. Focus on these early in the morning when your energy levels are at peak. Then, move on to your lesser troubles. Pick, finish and repeat.

Delegate decisions

Learn to trust your peers. For some of us, micromanaging is a serious problem. With that tags along an insane sense of meticulousness. This often drives the person in charge crazy. When you let others take care of minor details, you can rest easy and focus on prime things.

Re-energise yourself

Grab a meal or a get a power nap. Because, when tired, we tend to be reckless or too lazy to give the attention and thought something deserves.

Hiya is currently struggling to reach her book-reading goals. Find her at hiyaislam.11@gmail.com