You've been having a hard time making a choice lately. Maybe you've always struggled with it but it never really bothered you until you had to make that big decision. It's not just a struggle with trivial matters anymore such as deciding which colour of the same outfit to buy at the store or whether to have bread with tea for breakfast or Akara and pap. Or whether to fry your potatoes or boil them, it's a struggle with every single decision I'd like to say roughly 80%.
Dealing with regular indecision is a real pain. You feel stuck and easily swayed. This article will help you understand the disadvantages and risks of being indecisive, as well as the measures you can take to become less indecisive.
What is indecisiveness?
The dictionary definition of indecisiveness is the inability to make a decision or resolve. It's also a personality feature that's characterized by a general inability to come to a conclusion.
You may be indecisive due to personality traits such as perfectionism, in which you worry about the quality of everything you do.
It could also be due to self-doubt. You may have doubts about yourself and your abilities. Those doubts, if not dealt with, can have a huge impact on your decision-making.
Another thing that could cause indecisiveness could be fear. For example, You're unhappy with your current career and you want to learn a new skill. Fear of failing and the possibility of not being able to get a new job with your new expertise might make it difficult to decide whether to learn that skill or stick with your current unsatisfactory employment. Fear of the unknown, fear of the results your action might bring. All of these can limit you and leave you scared of making decisions.
Overload is another factor that contributes to indecisiveness. When we are presented with too many options at once, we may feel immobilized, similar to a deer frozen in headlights, and our ability to make a decision may be impaired.
Overthinking, on the other hand, is a key cause of indecisiveness. Overthinking might cause us to lose sight of the main factor that should be put into consideration to arrive at the best decision. Leading us instead to focus on possibilities that are not even related to the issue or really necessary to help us come to a conclusion. This is where the 'what ifs' and 'buts' come in, leaving you in a rut.
Dangers of Indecision
Though some moments of indecision can be beneficial, giving you time to think objectively about your situation and gain enough information to help you come to a good conclusion. Yet, the dangers of prolonged indecision far outweigh the benefits.
- For one, not picking an option in time could give room for indecision to become the "default decision". Harvey Cox said, "Not to decide is to decide."
- Decisions that may be easy to make start to seem harder the more you dwell on them.
- Furthermore, Indecision is a real thief of opportunities and a time-waster. The more you delay the slimmer your chances become. Someone else may end up getting hired for the job you wanted because you didn't trust yourself and delayed applying or your dream home could end up getting sold.
- Still, Indecision puts you subject to being swayed by the opinions of others. You'll go along with whoever's sayings or follow whatever is popular because you can't make your own decisions. This frequently results in discontent and disappointment.
- It could also lead to much anxiety and other health disorders.
These are a few disadvantages of indecision.
How can you deal with it then?
How to deal with Indecision
1. Name your fears. Realise the fear behind your indecision. Put it down but don't stop there, be a problem solver. Think of how you would address what you're afraid of and significant changes you would need to make that would help you to cope if what you feared comes to pass. Simply identifying the fear and figuring out how to deal with it will remove its power to control the decisions you make.
2. Have clear goals. Think of what you want to achieve and what your intentions are. Reflecting on what you truly want and imagining if the option you choose will lead you to your main goal makes it easier for you to reach a decision and settle on that path. This works well for making big decisions.
Read more: How to set goals and reach them.
3. Weigh your options. Do proper research to be well informed and better understand what needs to be done to solve the problem. Make a list of all possible alternatives and seek the opinions of people who you must. This will help you make a decision that will give you your desired outcome.
4. Don't aim for perfection, do your best. Perfectionism and indecisiveness often go hand in hand. Keep thoughts like "it has to be perfect" out of your mind. Instead set a good enough bar. This will help you reflect on your original goal and fulfil it, instead of waiting for the best to come before completing your task.
5. Set realistic deadlines. The best way to come to a decision is to set a deadline on the choices you face. Doing this will help you make the decision and maintain boundaries not to go beyond the set time.
6. Finally, practice how to arrive at a decision with small things. Start by making small decisions every day at least 5. Practice making faster decisions with little things that come up throughout the day.
With smart efforts, you can get better at making a decision. What has helped you get better at decision making? Let us know in the comments.
Other articles you might be interested in: How to make good decisions
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