Many people could be facing uncertainty, who knows what the future holds, and making a decision can be crippling. Whether in our professional or personal life, very few people enjoy making hard and difficult decisions, even the easy ones like what to have for dinner can be taxing. What if we could find a way to make these decisions more manageable, more strategic, and ultimately less overwhelming?
Decision making can be stressful
Did you know that 72% of adults feel that making decisions causes them significant stress and that 45% say that fear of making the wrong choice is the primary reason they don’t make a decision. This discomfort often results in stress, anxiety, and procrastination. Uncertainty is one of the largest obstacles we face when making a decision. Very few decisions are made with full knowledge of the outcomes or consequences. I was told by my dad that it is easier to make different choices in retrospect with more knowledge than we began with.
Do we have a crystal ball?
The inability to foresee the future can often paralyze us, leading to delaying our choices or even avoid making them altogether. Even our personality style has a tendency to, either dive in, or shy away from decision making.
“The only thing we can be certain of, is uncertainty”
In a growing business there are many choices to be made as we build and scale. Costly mistakes can prevent us moving forward because it may be the life or death of our business. The good news is that decision-making can be simplified when we approach it with structure, clarity, and a sense of purpose. One of the key tools to achieving this is planning and setting very clear boundaries. It’s important to understand why it feels so difficult. The process of making choices can trigger significant stress and emotional strain, as people often worry about making the wrong decision and facing negative consequences.
Know your boundaries – Understand what to say ‘yes’, or ‘no’ to. Start with the definite ‘no’s as they are usually much easier to understand. Identify what is most important to make decisions with greater confidence.
Mental exhaustion – especially if we live and work in an environment where we’re forced to make continual decisions we can suffer from decision fatigue. We become mentally drained which causes poor judgement and indecisiveness leading potentially to a tendency to procrastinate. This often leads people to rely on instinct and gut feelings which can lead to poor choices or no choice at all.
Reduce the number of options – In sales it’s important to understand that too many choices can cause overwhelm, confusion and paralysis. We struggle to make a decision, therefore we don’t decide at all. We hear the ‘NO’. It’s important in sales to understand how to reduce the number of options and create clear decision-making criteria. Track and review the closing ratio to see what works. Three options may be all that is needed.
The Importance of Boundaries in Decision-Making
Setting boundaries is essential in both personal and professional decision-making. Boundaries act as guidelines that help us stay within the scope of what is necessary, minimizing the potential for distraction and confusion. By clearly defining what is important, we can reduce the overwhelming number of possibilities and make the decision-making process more straightforward. A simple boundary may be as clear as setting geographical borders such as cities, counties, states. Where to go and where not to go is often used in a franchise, licensing and certifications. Many are only qualified or certified to work in specific areas. Setting personal boundaries may be to not work at weekends, only in the mornings, or only work the 2nd weekend of the month.
Making a career decision – when faced with several job offers, firstly it’s a lovely place to be. Give yourself a pat on the back and have a sense of pride in what you have already achieved. A career decision may involve relocation, money, benefits. This may be difficult if a family is involved in the decision-making process. When I first made the decision to start the business, it didn’t just involve me. Thankfully I was supported, but some people aren’t.
Without boundaries such as salary expectations, job location, work-life balance, and career growth opportunities, the decision may become paralyzing. By establishing clear priorities and narrowing the criteria, the decision becomes simpler and more aligned with values and goals. Sometimes it’s more difficult to remain in the status quo and over time a decision is made for us.
Set clear criteria – Research shows that people who set clear boundaries when making decisions are less likely to experience regret and more likely to report satisfaction with their choices. People who set specific criteria when making decisions were 33% more likely to feel confident about their choices, compared to those who did not set clear boundaries. Decision-making can be enhanced simply by outlining what’s important and eliminating the clutter of irrelevant options. Core values really help when it comes to decision making and boundaries. If it doesn’t fit any of the core values, the decision is much clearer, it doesn’t belong.
Decision-Making Frameworks
There are still times when decisions feel complicated and overwhelming. When faced with multiple good options and no clear path forward, it can be difficult to decide. This is where decision-making frameworks can help such as the decision matrix.
What Is a Decision Matrix?
A decision matrix is a powerful technique that helps evaluate different alternatives based on specific criteria. This tool allows us to weigh the pros and cons of each option systematically, ensuring that we’re making the most rational decision possible. The main thing about a decision matrix is that it has us think logically and deeply about what we’re making a choice around. Some criteria may have more weight attached to it and in a decision matrix we can give more value to those options.
The decision matrix involves the following steps:
- List options: Write down all the possible choices being considered.
- Identify criteria: Determine the factors that are most important in making this decision. This could include cost, time, ease of use, personal values, or potential outcomes.
- Assign a weight to each possibility: Not all criteria are equal. Some factors are more important than others, so assign a numerical weight to reflect this. If ease of use is really important or the fact that it is local, or great customer service, rank these accordingly.
- Score each option: Rate each option on a scale.
- Calculate scores: The option with the highest total score will be the one that best meets your needs. It still might not be the one chosen!
This method can be particularly helpful in professional settings, such as choosing between job offers, selecting suppliers for a business, or evaluating potential investments. Even buying a computer can use a decision matrix.
Why a Decision Matrix Work
Studies suggest that using structured frameworks like a decision matrix can improve decision-making outcomes. It can give more clarity and reduce the emotional attachment. 72% of managers report feeling more confident in their decisions when they use a decision matrix or similar analysis tool according the to the Havard Business Review.
Tracking Decisions: Learning from the Past
One of the most valuable practices in decision-making is keeping a record of the choices made. Tracking past decisions, and reflecting on their outcomes, is important for improving future decision-making. It is equally important if working with a team to share these findings and have an innovative approach. The University of California performed a study and found that individuals who regularly reviewed their past decisions were 42% more likely to make better choices in the future because they gained insights into what worked, what didn’t, and why.
When tracking decisions, it’s important to record not only the choices made but also the reasoning behind it. This practice helps avoid making similar mistakes in the future and can also serve as a reminder of the decision-making process. Take into consideration trends, fashions, and seasons as these factors can also determine the outcome.
For example, tracking sales trends, customer feedback, or product launches can provide valuable insights into decision-making patterns, helping to adjust the strategy for future success.
Making Decisions Easier Using Priorities and Boundaries
At the heart of effective decision-making is prioritization. By determining what matters most in each situation can simplify the decision-making process significantly.
When faced with a difficult personal decision such as deciding whether to relocate for a new job, as we did many years ago, we prioritized factors like career growth, family
considerations, the age of our children was a major consideration along with their education, financial stability, and our personal happiness. By ranking these priorities, we found the decision was clearer and more aligned with our overall goals. The same was true of where to live. We set clear parameters, such as the education of our children as a number one priority. Statistics reveal that decision-making becomes significantly easier when priorities are set in advance.
Making Decisions with Confidence
Decision-making can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be as stressful or overwhelming. By setting clear boundaries, identifying priorities, and using structured frameworks like decision matrix analysis, we can make more confident, effective choices. Remember that every decision made, big or small, provides an opportunity to learn and grow.
Tracking our decisions and reflecting on their outcomes helps to refine our decision-making process over time, reducing uncertainty and boosting our confidence. Ultimately, by knowing what is most important, we can navigate life’s choices more easily, ensuring that each decision brings us closer to our personal and professional goals. If we can do it with others that we trust, it is really helpful.
With practice, planning, and the right tools, decision-making becomes not only more manageable but also more rewarding.