What is the most effective way to improve the quality of your decisions?

Life is always about making decisions. Youth comes as an all-inclusive package: alluring opportunities and treacherous paths better to be avoided, freedom and responsibility. Fairy tale plots continue to accompany us, but instead of the tale’s hero now it is you who has to choose whether going straight ahead or to the right/left is a wiser step.

There are definite means of being prepared for decision-making in a stressful and pressing environment. One should be aware of misleading imposed priorities, which are often believed to be shared by the majority, whilst in practice not true. Wasting time on achieving others’ goals is the last thing to be done in your 20s (or at any age).

Making decisions seems particularly challenging when life is at its fastest and time seems short. Often, it’s just a case of being able to step back and weigh the pros and cons – which means making some bigger changes to your lifestyle. Make these seven things – like improving your language skills and exercise – part of your regular routine and before you know it, your decision-making difficulties will have magically disappeared…

1. Get some arts and culture in your life

This could be anything from taking weekly salsa classes to putting opera performances in your monthly schedule. Dedicate an hour three times per week to learning to play the guitar, or try painting the scenes from your favorite movie using gouache. Although this might seem time-consuming, spending time engaging with arts and culture will provide a worthwhile payback: increased concentration ability, alongside a boost to your everyday mood – both useful when it comes to decision-making. You’ll get the strongest decision-making benefits if you try something extraordinary, something you’d never thought of doing before, like sculpture modeling, or learning the harp, for example.

2. Develop your programming or language skills

To exercise a different part of your brain, work on something more technical. You could focus on developing your writing skills or study a foreign language. Otherwise, dive deep into programming or master any useful software. This method kills two birds with one stone; dedicating leisure time to studying IT or improving your foreign language skills means you are also likely to end up adding extra value to your CV.

3. Hang out with people of all ages

Try to widen the age range of people surrounding you. Stay in touch with those older than you, and also those who are much younger. Contact with the first group can help you become more mindful and better at planning for the future, while the second can help you keep in touch with your earlier dreams, achievements and failures. While past victories will bring a sense of positivity and confidence, mistakes will keep your away from stepping on the same rake twice.

Try not to eliminate any age group. Interaction with people of other ages can help with decision-making by giving you a chance to step back from the race with contemporaries, to really weigh all the pros and cons of different scenarios from a more balanced and detached perspective.

4. Exercise

Beach volleyball or figure skating, ballet or martial arts: whichever sport feels comfortable, safe and fun for you, do it! Meet new people, keep in shape with exercise! As a Russian proverb says: “in a healthy body is a healthy spirit.” As your body becomes more finely honed, you’ll find your decision-making skills do too.

5. Get experimental with your cooking

Don’t usually cook? Try it! If you are used to cooking, open up new culinary horizons. Spend Saturday morning baking rainbow sherbet cupcakes, surprise your family with gazpacho and crab meat, or feast on roast sirloin in the company of friends. You’ll find that while your hands are busy stirring or spicing or sautéing, your mind is secretly busy thinking over that decision you’ve been struggling with. And if you can master all the choices presented by the world of foods, surely you can handle decision-making in other areas too.

Join online communities with the aim of attending picnics, flash mobs or popular events throughout your city. You will feel yourself part of a big, big society, accompanied by an understanding that every individual’s life means a lot and every person influences thousands of lives every day. You’ll also have hundreds, or thousands, of examples and experiences to draw upon when making decisions about your own life.

7. Write down the pros and cons

Finally, get back to the most common – and still effective – decision-making technique of all: a pros and cons list. Write down all the positive and negative aspects of the dilemma. It’s better to use a bigger paper format, like A3 – don’t let the size of your stationary limit your options!

If you feel an urge to ask advice from people with experience in a particular field, do so. But then, make your own decision. Because it is your life. It matters.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I made a quick trip to the local hardware store. I had a wild creative project that I wanted to get started on — immediately. I’d made a list of everything needed so I’d be in and out of the store quickly. When I got back to my car, I was hungry and didn’t have anything planned for dinner. I decided to grab something on the way back home but spent ten minutes trying to figure out what to eat. Here are 15 ways to improve your decision making.

In the scheme of things, this wasn’t a big deal — but the slow-down did upset me. What if every day was like that? With all of the decisions that you’re expected to make daily, time can be eaten-up in a snap. As a consequence, you’re less productive — but worse; you often end up making a poor decision.

For example, because I was indecisive and on the verge of feeling hangry, I was tempted to go through a drive-through. A better decision would be to order something a little bit healthier from a local pizzeria — a salad and one slice of pizza — well two slices, but you see what I mean?

The good news is that making decisions doesn’t have to be a struggle. There are ways that you can improve your decision-making skills in life — and in business. You want your decisions to be faster and better for both short-and-long-term time management.

1. Use both sides of your brain.

“Each time we make a choice, I believe that our left-brain arm-wrestles with our right,” writes Micheal Levine, author of the column The Divided Mind. “The left (and more pragmatic side) tells us to act logically, while our right puts up a dramatic fight for following the heart’s content.”

The solution here is to find the right balance between both sides when making a decision. One effective way to achieve this is by conducting a cost-benefit analysis where you weigh the benefits against the negatives.

2. Simplify the battlefield.

“As a leader in the U.S. Navy SEALs, I had to ‘simplify the battlefield’ and make rapid-fire decisions that had life-and-death consequences,” Mark Divine, retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander, founder of SEALFIT, Unbeatable Mind, and The Courage Foundation, told CNBC. To “simplify the battlefield, Divine developed a system called PROP, as in “prop up decisions.”

The PROP model works like this:

First, identify and determine your priorities, such as “get cash positive.”
Next, “outline the Realities you face, such as limited resources or timeline.”
After considering your priorities and realities, come up with “the most plausible options available.” For example, making the decision “to cut staffing or offer a deep discount.” Sometimes the best option is obvious. But, Divine recommends ranking your choices to be certain.
“Finally, choose the best option as your Path forward,” says Divine. “Execute that immediately with a simple plan and shift fire as you meet the next set of realities.”

3. Rest or sleep on it.

Throughout life, there are times when you must take immediate action. For example, your child picked up a small item, which presents an obvious choking hazard, and it’s heading right towards their mouth. Or, your business just experienced a cyberattack, and all of the sensitive data you have stored is in jeopardy. During times like these, you don’t have time to think. You need to act.

However, with most of the decisions you must make, you usually have some time to mull things over a bit. And — thinking — is often in your best interest.

“When you have to make a big and important decision, it may be best to do it when you are rested, focused, and motivated,” writes Jeremy Nicholson M.S.W., Ph.D. The reason is that when you’re fatigued, you’re more likely to go with the most comfortable or most convenient choice — even when it’s not the best option.

One study found that clinicians are 26% more likely to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics during their fourth hour of work.

To remedy the problems that can result from split-second decisions, “when possible, think through important decisions when you are well-rested, clear-headed, and have the energy and motivation to dedicate to the task.” If you can’t “sleep on it,” then take a step back, even it’s just for 30 minutes, and circle back to it. Make as many decisions as you can that you won’t have to decide again — ever.

Like: I will not drive alcohol, ever. Decision complete — and you don’t need to EVER think of it again. A simplified decision-making process will save your business. Personally, if I’m stuck between multiple choices, I go for a walk. It gives me a chance to clear my head and recharge before making my final decision.

4. Practice being decisive.

“If you’re chronically indecisive, build that decision-making muscle by starting small,” recommends decision coach Nell Wulfhart. “Give yourself 30 seconds to decide what you’ll have for dinner, what movie to watch, or whether you want to go out tonight.” The key is to follow through with your decision.

Keep repeating this process as it will help train your brain to make decisions faster. And, keep working your way up to more important decisions.

And, if this gives you anxiety, ask yourself one simple question; what’s the worst that can happen?

5. Put your ego on the backburner.

I feel that this is an area entrepreneurs need to work on. It’s easy to understand why, though. You’re personally invested in your business and know it like the back of your hand. But, sometimes, that can prevent you from making the right decision. And you certainly don’t have to make a perfect decision — you likely won’t be perfect, anyway.

For example, let’s say that you didn’t hit your sales goal. Is it because you’re targetting the wrong audience? Did you not follow up with your leads? Or, is the price point wrong? You need to look at the facts instead of your assumptions and feelings.

You may not like what you hear. But, analyzing data and soliciting feedback from your employees and customers can clue you in on why you failed to hit your target.

6. Practice mindfulness.

“Most people have trouble admitting they were wrong when their initial decisions lead to undesirable outcomes,” said Andrew Hafenbrack, lead author of a study published in the journal Psychological Science. “They don’t want to feel wasteful or that their initial investment was a loss. Ironically, this kind of thinking often causes people to waste or lose more resources in an attempt to regain their initial investment or try to ‘break even.'”

According to his research, “a brief period of mindfulness meditation can encourage people to make more rational decisions by considering the information available in the present moment while ignoring some of the other concerns that typically exacerbate the ‘sunk cost bias.'”

7. Ask others for advice.

Studies have found that peer pressure is hardwired into brains. Because of this, even if you’re a well-adjusted and independent thinker, you may be swayed by others when making decisions. And, sometimes, that could lead to you making an awful decision.

Despite this, there are times when you should consult others when facing a tough decision. Ideally, these should those who are directly affected by your choice. However, you could also seek advice and feedback from people that are trustworthy and honest. You could also turn to experts, a mentor, or those who challenge your thoughts.

8. Outsmart the anchoring bias.

The anchoring effect is a type of cognitive bias where you base your decision on the first piece of information presented to you. You’ve probably seen this in action when purchasing a new car or home. You’re shown an item that’s out of your price range and then one that is cheaper. The second option may now appear to be the better buy even though it’s still overpriced.

Thankfully, there are ways to outsmart this bias. For starters, beware of the weaknesses and prejudices in your thoughts. Next, delay your decision. And, finally, drop your anchor by doing some research or making the first move.

9. Set time limits.

For smaller decisions, give yourself only five to ten minutes. Remember, going back and forth on these trivial decisions can become serious time-wasters.

For more important ones, allow a little more time. Depending on the exact situation, this could be a day or even a week. The idea here is to give yourself the appropriate amount of time to do your research and weigh the pros and cons.

10. Use your past as a guideline.

“When we have a lot of choices, it can increase the anxiety and noise in our head,” says author and psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig. “It’s not uncommon to be confused about which direction to take — what’s right or what’s wrong.”

Dr. Ludwig’s advice? Use your past as a guideline when making decisions. Thinking about what you have chosen in the past may not always work. Each situation is different, so take a moment to reflect on your past experiences before making your decision. It may be able to help you make a more informed decision.

11. Shake up your routine.

While your past experiences can steer you in the right direction, you also don’t want to become too complacent. After all, complacency can prevent you from taking risks or seeking out fresh perspectives. In turn, this encourages you to take shortcuts, aka heuristics, and stick with the status quo.

As any successful entrepreneur would tell, you need to challenge the status quo to be disruptive and think outside the box. You also need to keep up with the latest trends and consumer tastes. If not, you’ll be making outdated decisions that aren’t helping you achieve your goals.

To prevent getting stuck in a rut, continuously learn new skills. Get out of your comfort zone and have new experiences. Hang out with diverse people. And don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas. You can then apply your new knowledge, experiences, and feedback to improve your decisions.

12. Disprove yourself.

Even the smartest people in the room make stupid decisions. The reason? Confirmation bias. In a nutshell, confirmation bias is where we only seek out evidence or make a decision because of pre-existing beliefs. As a result, you may make the wrong choice because it aligns with your beliefs.

An effective way to combat confirmation bias is to disprove yourself. To do this, Mayo Oshin suggests that you “seek out all possible ideas that may contradict your current beliefs” whenever faced with a challenge. “This will prepare you to make a well-rounded good decision instead of an irrational bad decision based solely on your beliefs and emotions.”

13. Seek the right information, not more.

In your quest to make the best decision possible, you may dissect facts, relive the past, contemplate the future, and seek expert advice. Most of the time, this can be helpful. But, if you go too deep, you may fall into a rabbit role.

Instead of defining the problem, you keep consuming more information. You constantly question yourself. And, you put way too much thought into outcomes that will never transpire. Not only will you experience cognitive overload, but you’re also getting further away from coming up with a solution.

When you’re at crossroads, it’s often best to go back to the beginning. Clarify the problem, goal, or desired outcome so that you can search for the right information.

14. Plan ahead.

It’s not realistic to have a plan for every possible scenario. But, you do have control of certain areas in your life where you can prepare in advance.

For instance, on Sundays, you could plan out your meals for the week. Even if you don’t batch your meals, you could at least come up with a menu. You have made the decision. Now you know what you have to purchase at the store. You now know what you’ll cook each day of the week. You could also use your Sundays to pick out your clothes and review your schedule so that you know how you’ll be spending your time.

The process may sound simple. But, when you plan ahead, you’re reducing the number of decisions you need to make. As a result, you won’t experience decision fatigue and will have the energy to make more sound choices.

15. Trust your first instinct.

Henry Winkler, aka The Fonz, once wrote, “Your mind knows only some things. Your inner voice, your instinct, knows everything. If you listen to what you know instinctively, it will always lead you down the right path.”

It turns out The Fonz was right. Dr. Joel Pearson, one of the world’s leading authorities on human consciousness, states that intuition does exist. His research has discovered that unconscious emotions have the power to improve the speed and accuracy of decision-making.

Should you solely rely on your gut? Of course not. But, there are times when your first instinct is right. And, whenever you have that feeling, you shouldn’t ignore it.

For example, let’s say that you’re interviewing a candidate. They have a solid resume and answered all of your questions correctly. But, you’ve got a hunch that they just won’t fit in with your company’s culture. Listen to what you’re gut is saying so that you can narrow your search down to a candidate who would be a better fit.

The main point here is to make good decisions — or at least better decisions for the long term.

Decide what your day is going to look like and stick with that plan. Yes, you have to be somewhat flexible — but if you are too amenable, (a-woman-able?), you’re back to many many decisions. We’re cutting back on those pesky thoughts in favor of getting things done quickly. Work on productivity hacks that you’ll do automatically so you can save that decision-making-space.