I wanted to tell you about a technique I use to make decisions when I am stuck.
Have you ever been on a diet. You are craving a salad, so you decide to take a trip to the local grocer. You approach the aisle and begin searching for the best dressing–one that does not have too much fat, low sodium, healthy amount of sugar, and most of all….one that tastes good! If you are a label buff like me, you will usually find that there is no single one with that contains all of your requirements! So you just stand there…….trying not to give into the high fat Thousand Island, Ranch and Blue Cheese dressing that are calling your name.
Odds are you will have been ruminating over a decision for some time now and have narrowed it down to a few top choices.
Here is what I do:
- Choose your top three items.
- Set a timer on your smart phone or your watch for 30 seconds.
- Make a decision within that time frame.
- Move on to the next task or item on your list.
You will find in those last few seconds that your mind starts racing, but it is imperative that you pick one and move forward! After you pick one, redirect your attention to the next item. Stick with the decision that you just made! Don’t give yourself anytime to think about it! Try not to ruminate over it because remember, it was one of your top choices among equally appealing choices. Sometimes we have to force ourselves to make decisions. You will find that the stress of making that decision will be resolved the quicker you eliminate it, freeing up your mind to move on to higher priority activities.
That’s all there is to the 30-Second Technique! The next time you come up against indecision, try this little technique.
If you try it, let me know how it worked for you!
