Learn how to make better decisions with these three powerful habits.
Learn how to make better decisions with these three powerful habits.
Every hour of the day, you have to make a new decision.
Sometimes it's as simple as deciding what shoes to wear to work. (It's not always that simple with a commute and multiple events in a day.)
However, when important moments call for decisive action, it can be difficult to make the right decision without a process in place.
Let's look at how to make better decisions and develop habits that will help simplify the process.
Why is it important to make sound decisions?
Individual decisions may not appear to be particularly important in the moment.
Typically, the consequences of those choices have an impact on your life. Making better decisions yields better results (with fewer consequences). Better decisions may provide you with more options and flexibility. In contrast, a good decision may eliminate other options while creating a new opportunity.
Making better decisions means learning from your mistakes. And learning from your mistakes is an important part of personal development.
Making good decisions is also important at work and in maintaining a work-life balance. It can help you advance your career and achieve better results at work. It can help you advance your career and achieve better results at work. Good decision-making can lead to greater job and life satisfaction.
Making decisions is ultimately what will define you as a leader at work. You can't lead without being decisive. And as a leader, your decisions will have an impact on others in addition to yourself. As a result, it is critical to consider all of the moving parts and potential consequences before making a decision.
Framing the situation and weighing the alternatives are critical steps in making decisions for a multibillion-dollar corporation.
3 habits that will help you make better decisions
Are you wondering how to make major decisions effectively?
Here are three habits that will help you make better decisions in life and work.
1. Allow yourself space to reflect on your mistakes (and successes).
You will not learn from your mistakes unless you take the time to reflect on them. That is why you should make it a habit to set aside regular time in your schedule for reflection. This can also help you gain mental fitness.
This isn't just about dwelling on your mistakes or beating yourself up over poor decisions. Use it as a timed period to honestly reflect on your day's decisions and why some were better (or worse) than others.
Consider what led to your mistakes: perhaps an incorrect assumption or a failure to seek additional input. Perhaps you didn't give yourself enough time to think or you acted out of fear. Analyze the situation and consider other options you might have had. What have you learned? What are you going to do differently tomorrow as a result?
You will not be able to undo your mistakes. However, you can make it a habit to learn from those choices in order to improve your decision-making abilities.
2. Evaluate your own self-confidence.
Confidence is essential, particularly when starting a new job.
However, overconfidence can have a negative impact on how you make decisions. Studies in medicine have shown that overconfidence can lead to diagnostic errors.
Make a habit of analyzing yourself on a regular basis to keep your overconfidence in check. Are you 100% certain that you know what you're doing? If you are, you may be suffering from overconfidence.
We can be completely committed to our decision while also acknowledging how much we do not know or control. Maintain a humble attitude toward the unknown. That will ensure that you continue to consider other options and seek out different perspectives. If you notice yourself becoming overconfident, start seeking feedback from others to gain a new perspective. 
You will not always be correct, even if you believe you are.
On the other hand, if you notice that you lack confidence, challenge your doubt. Consider ways to develop more realistic confidence. This is especially important if you have imposter syndrome.
3. Be aware of your mental heuristics.
Heuristics are mental shortcuts that allow people to make quick decisions.
Heuristics can be useful for:
Reducing the mental effort required to make decisions
Helping you solve problems
Simplifying complicated questions
Helping you arrive at a conclusion faster
However, heuristics can also result in cognitive biases. One example is the availability heuristic. You're more likely to base your decision on information that comes to mind quickly.
So, if you've recently read several news articles about toxic managers, you're more likely to notice toxic behavior in leaders around you.
As a result, understanding your heuristics is critical. These heuristics may influence your daily decision-making process.
When you know what they are, you can pause and assess their impact on your decision-making. This requires some effort because our heuristics are comfortable and natural to us. They feel right.
Take a step back and consider what other options existed that you did not select or even consider. How could the result have been different? This will allow you to determine whether your heuristics are helping you make better decisions when the time comes.
Make it a habit to recognize when you are jumping to conclusions and to question why you are making certain decisions.
10 effective decision-making tips.
Making good decisions requires developing the right habits. But what do you do when you're finally faced with a difficult decision?
Here are ten decision-making tips to guide you in the right direction and teach you how to make good decisions quickly:
1. Imagine yourself one year in the future.
When faced with a decision that you are unsure about, try to imagine what the future will be like. Make a plan for a year or even five years in the future. It's critical not to get caught up in the immediate consequences of your decisions.
The immediate results will not necessarily tell you whether you made a bad decision or not.
Think about one decision and how it will affect your future. Consider all possible aspects. Then compare to other decisions.
Where do you hope to be in one year? Or in five years? And how do these various decisions influence what you want?
While this one-year jump isn't the only factor to consider when making a decision, it will help you think about how the current situation can help you achieve your goals.
For example, suppose you have to choose between a new job offer and keeping your current job.
Consider where your current job could take you. Compare that to what the new offer could do for you in a year from now. Which one is closest to what you want?
2. Write down your goals.
The previous one-year exercise can be useful when making critical decisions. However, this is only true if you know where you want to be a year from now.
If you don't, how will you know which decisions will get you closer to your goals and which will set you back?
That is why you should set aside some time to write down your goals and create a personal vision statement that is aligned with them. These objectives should be both personal and professional. 
Let's continue with the previous example of a new job offer. If you know you want to be a leader at work, writing it down can help you figure out which path will get you there a year from now.
If the new job offer pays more but provides fewer opportunities to develop your leadership skills, you know you're better off staying in your current position.
3. Select at least four alternatives.
Unless you are forced to choose between two options, take the time to consider at least four alternatives.
Even if you believe there are only two options, try to think outside the box and see if there are any other possibilities. The more information you have about different options, the better equipped you will be to make an informed decision.
On the other hand, if you only consider two options, you may overlook another choice that would have brought you closer to your goal.
Assume you're mediating a workplace dispute and must decide which side of the story to believe. However, there are likely other points of view on this story.
You can look for other people who witnessed the argument before you arrived. As a result, you can create a story that isn't entirely dependent on one person's word. You can reach a decision that requires compromise.
4. Determine what you don't know.
Whenever you make a decision, there will most likely be unknown factors to consider. But you don't realize what you don't know.
That is why it is critical to take the time to investigate these unknown factors. Once you've identified what you don't know, you can take the steps necessary to learn more.
The more you know, the better equipped you are to make an informed decision.
Assume you're still considering your previous two job options. You realize you don't know what leadership opportunities exist at your new job. Without this information, you won't know which decisions will bring you closer to your goals.
5. Move away from the situation.
When you're deeply involved in a situation, it can be difficult to see all the facts clearly.
Step away from the situation you're trying to decide on. Use the distance to repeat the previous steps, such as coming up with alternative solutions or imagining yourself a year from now.
For example, suppose you need to form a team for a difficult project at work. You're stuck in your office, figuring out who the best candidates are for the job.
Simply step away for a moment to shift your perspective. A change of scenery can give you the clarity you need to make sound decisions.
6. Face your mistakes.
It is difficult to accept responsibility for your mistakes. However, doing so can help you make more informed decisions later.
When it comes time to make a decision, reflect on previous similar situations in which you may have made a mistake. Determine what you did or did not do that contributed to your mistake.
Perhaps you have previously assembled a team that did not perform well. By confronting your mistakes, you discovered that your friendship with a team member influenced your decisions.
You're now aware of your biases. You can make new decisions keeping those biases in mind.
7. Seek feedback.
Receiving feedback from others can help you broaden your perspective. It can help you overcome your own biases and discover possibilities you hadn't considered. In the team-building example, have someone you trust provide feedback on your potential team ideas. Someone else may discover a flaw in the team that you would not have noticed otherwise.
8. Consider the long- and short-term consequences.
While looking one year ahead is a useful exercise, it is also critical to consider the short- and long-term consequences of a decision. How will this decision affect your life a week from now?
How about a month from now? What about three or even ten years?
For example, if you're thinking about moving across the country, you understand that it will have long-term consequences for your life. It will also have an impact on your life in the short term.
Make a list of short and long-term scenarios for staying or leaving.
9. Analyze data
Sometimes relying solely on your gut instinct can lead to trouble.
Try to find objective data points to supplement your understanding of the situation. For example, if you're thinking about moving across the country, you can consider data points such as employment rates, crime rates, and cost of living.
These data points can help you get a better picture of what your future will be like if you relocate.
10. Identify your values and adhere to them.
This is critical. Your values serve as a North Star and guideposts, especially when making decisions in a rapidly changing or uncertain world. Some people find that having a personal vision statement helps them maintain alignment between their values and actions. Personal and professional values are important in addition to goals.
People who find value and meaning in their work hold more senior and skilled positions.
Let's go back to the decision between your old job and a new opportunity. If you value inclusive leadership but your current workplace does not, you might be better off accepting a new job offer in a more inclusive company.
Learn to make better decisions.
In addition to these tips, coaching can help you improve your decision-making skills. You can overcome decision fatigue, make better decisions faster, and have confidence in your choices.
BetterUp's expert coaching can help you identify your strengths, achieve your goals, and make better decisions, allowing you to reach your full potential.
