How to overcome indecision and make the right choice

We make many decisions every day. Some are minor, and others are serious, but they are equally important for our well-being. However, sometimes, we are torn between two or more attractive options, wondering which one to choose.

At such moments, indecision speaks in us, causing us to experience anxiety and mental anguish. This is common, but precisely because of it, we can miss opportunities and delay when we need to act quickly. Fortunately, indecision can be defeated — here are some tips on how to do it.

9 ways to overcome indecision and make the right choice

1. Weigh the options

When the available options seem equally attractive, it becomes challenging to choose. It is important to weigh each of them to understand the best. Find a piece of paper and list the pros and cons of each solution. Spend enough time on this to carefully consider the options and speculate. This will help you make a choice faster and overcome indecision.

2. Do a little research

Sometimes, we have too little information, but we must make an informed decision. Because of this, we seem to be missing something, and uncertainty begins to creep into our souls. To avoid unpleasant feelings and doubts, we constantly research before making a choice.

Try to gather as much information as possible on each scenario to make more informed decisions. This is especially important if you have to choose what will change your life, such as which university to attend or which doctor to visit for an appointment.

3. Give up the idea of perfection

Perfectionism and indecision always go hand in hand. However, pursuing perfection often leads to the fact that we stop making decisions altogether, miss opportunities, and then experience a nasty regret. It is essential to understand that there is nothing perfect in life. But there is something pleasant, useful, and acceptable — this is precisely what you need to bet on. Sometimes, you have to make decisions that do not yield a perfect result but can give emotions and experience and improve life.

4. Limit your options

We experience the paradox of choice- extreme indecision when we are torn between attractive options, not knowing which is the best. In such cases, it is worth limiting your options. Let’s look at how it works, using a simple example: you need to choose breakfast cereals, but there are so many on the counter that your eyes run away.

Take the three boxes that seem most attractive to you and examine each to decide which one to take home. Don’t pay attention to the rest on the shelves, as if they don’t exist. Choosing between three types of cereal, rather than between dozens, will be much easier. V I S I T . A F R I N I K . C O M . The same goes for clothes in the closet: the fewer things you have, the easier it is to choose. A capsule wardrobe is based on this principle, in which all clothes are combined, but there is little to suffer from a choice.

5. Flip a coin

When you narrow the range of options to two but start to go crazy from the paradox of choice, flip a coin. For example, you can use this method when considering which restaurant to order food from for dinner. Of course, such a strategy is not worth making severe decisions. However, it often happens that, tossing a coin, we unconsciously hope for the loss of one of its sides – perhaps this is the decision we are leaning towards, without knowing it.

6. Don’t ignore your intuition

Using logic is undoubtedly helpful, but sometimes, you must listen to your intuition. The mind suggests a solution, but the heart says “no.” And in many cases, intuition was correct. Do not ignore it — take your inner voice as a signal that you must reconsider the decision or better understand how correct it is.

7. I am aware of the possible consequences of indecision

Remembering that indecision can have more consequences than any of your choices will make it easier to set yourself up for decision-making. We miss deadlines and opportunities when we delay until the last moment or refuse to take responsibility for what we want to do. So it’s always worth reminding yourself that you can only face much bigger problems than you think if you make a decision. This is a negative and unpleasant motivation, but it pushes for something more.

8. Set clear deadlines

Sometimes, we don’t make decisions because we still have much time. Because of this, we delay until the last moment when we don’t need to do it or postpone it for later, missing opportunities. Always set firm but realistic deadlines when making a choice. Knowing that you must do something by a certain date or time motivates or forces you to think about a decision more quickly.

9. Make important decisions in the morning, as well as after eating

Indecision can be a consequence of fatigue. If we have to make many decisions during the day, we don’t have the emotional strength to do it by the evening. To experience the agony of choice and doubt less often, make important decisions at the beginning of the day with a fresh head.

After a rest, choosing the right option and thinking clearly will be easier.
It would be best to avoid making important decisions on an empty stomach. We need energy to perform both physical and mental actions. If you miss a meal or refuse breakfast, you cannot think about everything well and decide. So, if you want to overcome indecision, think about the choice in the morning after breakfast.