No matter who you are or what job you have, there will always be decisions that need to be made. Some of these are big decisions, while others are smaller. Either way, the consequences of your choices can have profound impacts on your life or work.
You might be a natural decision-maker, or it may be hard for you to settle on a single decision. You often second-guess yourself or take far too much time trying to come to a conclusion. If you relate to this, then you’ll love today’s article. I am going to reveal a few simple ways that you can get better at making decisions.
Weigh up the pros and cons
This is sometimes called a cost-benefit-analysis as you weigh up the costs of a decision against the benefits it brings. As a simple example, you’re thinking about buying a Macbook to replace your old laptop. The cons of this decision are that it will cost a lot of money, meaning you might struggle to make other payments for a while. The benefits are that you’re replacing something old with something new, meaning you can be far more productive at work. The added productivity may help you get more work done, which can help you make more money, paying off the costs. Also, it’s a purchase you’ll get many years of use out of, so this downplays the costs even more.
You see, making decisions is all about figuring out if you stand to gain anything. Some decisions will come with many cons, but if the pros are significantly better, then it’s worth making that decision.
Come up with a workflow
A workflow is basically like a map of your decision-making process. You start with a decision, then move through the flow by answering different questions. There’s no code digital workflow automation software out there that can help you create different workflows to let you manage your decisions. For example, you can have a workflow that helps you decide whether or not to hire an employee. What role are they applying for? How many years experience do they have? Do they meet the educational requirements for the role? You make your way through different questions until you find a candidate that ticks all of them and is perfect for your business.
Workflows can be very useful, particularly for decisions that you have to make over and over again.
Call on what you know
Lastly, it helps to use what you already know about certain topics or situations. This includes using facts, but also your own experience. Should you invest in PPC advertising to get more traffic to your website? The facts suggest it is highly beneficial and will yield results. Similarly, you ran a PPC campaign before, and it did bring success. This helps you make the right decision based on data that already exists.
The examples you’ve seen have all related to business or work-life. That’s where most of your toughest decisions will occur. However, you could easily apply these tips to decisions in other aspects of your life as well. Ultimately, they will help you come to better and more carefully thought out conclusions.