9 Little Habits That Make You a Better Decision Maker

Knowing how to make good decisions—like what to wear to a job interview or how to invest your money—could be the key to living your best life. Making those decisions quickly and feeling confident about your decision-making skills could save you a lot of time and hassle.

At a GlanceFortunately, everyone can take steps tobecome betterdecision-makers. Great decisions involve having the right information, considering the risks, and avoiding biases that can affect your judgment. If you want to become a better decision-maker, incorporate the following daily habits into your life.

At a Glance

Fortunately, everyone can take steps tobecome betterdecision-makers. Great decisions involve having the right information, considering the risks, and avoiding biases that can affect your judgment. If you want to become a better decision-maker, incorporate the following daily habits into your life.

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1Take Note of Your OverconfidenceCompassionate Eye Foundation / Getty ImagesOverconfidence can easily make your judgment go awry.Studies consistently show people tend to overestimate their performance and the accuracy of their knowledge.Perhaps you are 90% sure you know where the office is that you’re visiting. Or maybe you’re 80% certain you can convince your boss to give you a promotion. If you’re overconfident about those things, your plans are likely to go awry.It’s vital to consider your confidence level in terms of time management. Most people overestimate how much they can accomplish in a certain period of time.Do you think finishing that report will only take you one hour? Do you predict you’ll be able to pay your online bills in 30 minutes? You might find you’re overconfident in your predictions.Take time every day to estimate the likelihood that you’ll be successful. Then at the end of the day, review your estimates. Were you as accurate as you thought?Good decision-makers recognize areas in their lives where overconfidence could be a problem. Then they adjust their thinking and their behavior accordingly.2Identify the Risks You TakeGreat decision-making also sometimes requires being willing to take a risk. Familiarity breeds comfort.There’s a good chance you make some poor decisions simply because you’ve grown accustomed to your habits and don’t think about the danger or harm you’re causing.For example, you might speed on your way to work every day. Each time you arrive safely without a speeding ticket, you become more comfortable driving fast. But clearly, you’re jeopardizing your safety and taking a legal risk.Or maybe you eat fast food for lunch every day. Since you don’t suffer any immediate signs of ill health, you might not see it as a problem. Over time, however, you may gain weight or experience other health issues.Evaluate Your HabitsIdentify habits that have become commonplace. These are things that require little thought on your part because they’re automatic. Then take some time to evaluate which of them might be harmful or unhealthy, and create a plan to develop healthier daily habits.3Frame Your Problems In a Different WayThe way you pose a question or a problem plays a significant role in how you’ll respond and how you’ll perceive your chances of success.Imagine two surgeons. One surgeon tells his patients, “Ninety percent of people who undergo this procedure live.” The other surgeon says, “Ten percent of people who undergo this procedure die.“The facts are the same. However, research shows people who hear “10% of people die” perceive their risk to be much greater.So when you’re faced with a decision, frame the issue differently. Take a minute to think about whether the slight change in wording affects how you view the problem.4Stop Thinking About the ProblemGreat decisions require careful thinking, but sometimes knowing when to take a break can help clarify your choices.When you’re faced with a tough choice, like whether to move to a new city or change careers, you might spend a lot of time thinking about the pros and cons or the potential risks and rewards.While science shows there is plenty of value in thinking about your options, overthinking your choices can be a problem. Weighing the pros and cons for too long may increase your stress level to the point that you struggle to decide.Studies show there’s a lot of value in letting an idea “incubate.” Non-conscious thinking is surprisingly astute. So consider sleeping on a problem.Or get yourself involved in an activity that takes your mind off a problem. Let your brain work through things in the background, and you’re likely to develop clear answers.How to Prevent Decision Fatigue5Set Aside Time to Reflect on Your MistakesMaking great decisions often requires reflecting on where things went wrong in the past. Whether you left the house without an umbrella and got drenched on the way to work, or you blew your budget because you couldn’t resist an impulse purchase, set aside time to reflect on your mistakes.Make it a daily habit to review the choices you make throughout the day. Ask yourself what went wrong when your decisions don’t turn out well. Look for the lessons that can be gained from each mistake you make.Just make sure you don’t dwell on your mistakes for too long. Rehashing your missteps over and over again isn’t good for yourmental health.Keep your reflection time limited—perhaps 10 minutes per day is enough to help you think about what you can do better tomorrow. Then take the information you’ve gained and commit to making better decisions moving forward.6Acknowledge Your ShortcutsAlthough it can be a bit uncomfortable to admit, you’re biased in some ways. It’s impossible to be completely objective.Your mind has created mental shortcuts—referred to asheuristics—that help you make decisions faster. And while these mental shortcuts keep you from toiling for hours over every little choice you make, they can also steer you wrong.Theavailability heuristic, for example, involves basing decisions on examples and information that immediately springs to mind. So if you watch frequent news stories that feature house fires, you’re likely to overestimate the risk of experiencing a house fire.Or if you’ve recently consumed a lot of news about plane crashes, you may think your chances of dying in a plane crash are higher than in a car crash (even though statistics show otherwise).Make it a daily habit to consider the mental shortcuts that lead tobad decisions. Acknowledge the incorrect assumptions you may make about people or events, and you may be able to become a little more objective.7Consider the OppositeOnce you’ve decided something is true, you’re likely to cling to that belief. It’s a psychological principle known as belief perseverance.It takes more compelling evidence to change a belief than it did to create it, and there’s a good chance you’ve developed some beliefs that don’t serve you well.For example, you might assume you’re a bad public speaker, so you avoid speaking up in meetings. Or you might believe you are bad at relationships, so you stop going on dates.You’ve also developed beliefs about certain groups of people. Perhaps you believe, “People who work out a lot arenarcissists,” or “Rich people are evil.“Those beliefs you assume are always true or 100% accurate can lead you astray. The best way to challenge your beliefs is to argue the opposite.If you’re convinced you shouldn’t speak up in a meeting, argue all the reasons why you should. Or if you’re convinced rich people are bad, list reasons why wealthy people may be kind or helpful.Considering the opposite will help breakdown unhelpful beliefs so you can look at situations in another light and decide to act differently.8Label Your EmotionsPeople are often more inclined to say things like, “I have butterflies in my stomach,” or “I had a lump in my throat,” rather than use feeling words, like sad or nervous, to describe their emotional state.Many adults just aren’t comfortable talking about their feelings. However,labeling your emotionscan be the key to making better decisions. Research has shown that giving your emotions a name can help reduce their intensity,making them less likely to negatively impact your choices.Your feelings play a huge role in the choices you make.Studies consistently show anxiety makes people play it safe. And anxiety spills over from one area of someone’s life to another.So if you’re nervous about the mortgage application you just filed, you might be less likely to ask someone out on a date because you’ll think it sounds too risky.Excitement, on the other hand, can make you overestimate your chances of success. Even if there’s only a small likelihood you’ll succeed, you might be willing to take a big risk if you’re excited about the potential payoffs (this is often the case with gambling).Make it a daily habit to label your feelings. Note whether you’re feeling sad, angry, embarrassed, anxious, or disappointed. Then take a minute to consider how those emotions may be influencing your decisions.9Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted FriendWhen faced with a tough choice, ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend who had this problem?” You’ll likely find the answer comes to you more readily when you’re imagining yourself offering wisdom to someone else.Talking to yourself like a trusted friend takes some of the emotion out of the equation. It will help you gain some distance from the decision and will give you an opportunity to be a little more objective.It will also help you to be a little kinder to yourself.While you may be likely to say negative things to yourself like, “This will never work. You can’t do anything right,” there’s a good chance you wouldn’t say that to your friend. Perhaps you’d say something more like, “You’ve got this. I know you can do it,” if you were talking to a friend.Developing a kinder inner dialogue takes practice. But when you makeself-compassiona daily habit, your decision-making skills will improve.Decidophobia—Understanding the Fear of Making Decisions

Take Note of Your OverconfidenceCompassionate Eye Foundation / Getty ImagesOverconfidence can easily make your judgment go awry.Studies consistently show people tend to overestimate their performance and the accuracy of their knowledge.Perhaps you are 90% sure you know where the office is that you’re visiting. Or maybe you’re 80% certain you can convince your boss to give you a promotion. If you’re overconfident about those things, your plans are likely to go awry.It’s vital to consider your confidence level in terms of time management. Most people overestimate how much they can accomplish in a certain period of time.Do you think finishing that report will only take you one hour? Do you predict you’ll be able to pay your online bills in 30 minutes? You might find you’re overconfident in your predictions.Take time every day to estimate the likelihood that you’ll be successful. Then at the end of the day, review your estimates. Were you as accurate as you thought?Good decision-makers recognize areas in their lives where overconfidence could be a problem. Then they adjust their thinking and their behavior accordingly.

Take Note of Your Overconfidence

Compassionate Eye Foundation / Getty Images

Woman making decisions in meeting

Overconfidence can easily make your judgment go awry.Studies consistently show people tend to overestimate their performance and the accuracy of their knowledge.

Perhaps you are 90% sure you know where the office is that you’re visiting. Or maybe you’re 80% certain you can convince your boss to give you a promotion. If you’re overconfident about those things, your plans are likely to go awry.

It’s vital to consider your confidence level in terms of time management. Most people overestimate how much they can accomplish in a certain period of time.

Do you think finishing that report will only take you one hour? Do you predict you’ll be able to pay your online bills in 30 minutes? You might find you’re overconfident in your predictions.

Take time every day to estimate the likelihood that you’ll be successful. Then at the end of the day, review your estimates. Were you as accurate as you thought?

Good decision-makers recognize areas in their lives where overconfidence could be a problem. Then they adjust their thinking and their behavior accordingly.

2Identify the Risks You TakeGreat decision-making also sometimes requires being willing to take a risk. Familiarity breeds comfort.There’s a good chance you make some poor decisions simply because you’ve grown accustomed to your habits and don’t think about the danger or harm you’re causing.For example, you might speed on your way to work every day. Each time you arrive safely without a speeding ticket, you become more comfortable driving fast. But clearly, you’re jeopardizing your safety and taking a legal risk.Or maybe you eat fast food for lunch every day. Since you don’t suffer any immediate signs of ill health, you might not see it as a problem. Over time, however, you may gain weight or experience other health issues.Evaluate Your HabitsIdentify habits that have become commonplace. These are things that require little thought on your part because they’re automatic. Then take some time to evaluate which of them might be harmful or unhealthy, and create a plan to develop healthier daily habits.

Identify the Risks You TakeGreat decision-making also sometimes requires being willing to take a risk. Familiarity breeds comfort.There’s a good chance you make some poor decisions simply because you’ve grown accustomed to your habits and don’t think about the danger or harm you’re causing.For example, you might speed on your way to work every day. Each time you arrive safely without a speeding ticket, you become more comfortable driving fast. But clearly, you’re jeopardizing your safety and taking a legal risk.Or maybe you eat fast food for lunch every day. Since you don’t suffer any immediate signs of ill health, you might not see it as a problem. Over time, however, you may gain weight or experience other health issues.Evaluate Your HabitsIdentify habits that have become commonplace. These are things that require little thought on your part because they’re automatic. Then take some time to evaluate which of them might be harmful or unhealthy, and create a plan to develop healthier daily habits.

Identify the Risks You Take

Great decision-making also sometimes requires being willing to take a risk. Familiarity breeds comfort.

There’s a good chance you make some poor decisions simply because you’ve grown accustomed to your habits and don’t think about the danger or harm you’re causing.

For example, you might speed on your way to work every day. Each time you arrive safely without a speeding ticket, you become more comfortable driving fast. But clearly, you’re jeopardizing your safety and taking a legal risk.

Or maybe you eat fast food for lunch every day. Since you don’t suffer any immediate signs of ill health, you might not see it as a problem. Over time, however, you may gain weight or experience other health issues.

Evaluate Your HabitsIdentify habits that have become commonplace. These are things that require little thought on your part because they’re automatic. Then take some time to evaluate which of them might be harmful or unhealthy, and create a plan to develop healthier daily habits.

Evaluate Your Habits

Identify habits that have become commonplace. These are things that require little thought on your part because they’re automatic. Then take some time to evaluate which of them might be harmful or unhealthy, and create a plan to develop healthier daily habits.

3Frame Your Problems In a Different WayThe way you pose a question or a problem plays a significant role in how you’ll respond and how you’ll perceive your chances of success.Imagine two surgeons. One surgeon tells his patients, “Ninety percent of people who undergo this procedure live.” The other surgeon says, “Ten percent of people who undergo this procedure die.“The facts are the same. However, research shows people who hear “10% of people die” perceive their risk to be much greater.So when you’re faced with a decision, frame the issue differently. Take a minute to think about whether the slight change in wording affects how you view the problem.

Frame Your Problems In a Different WayThe way you pose a question or a problem plays a significant role in how you’ll respond and how you’ll perceive your chances of success.Imagine two surgeons. One surgeon tells his patients, “Ninety percent of people who undergo this procedure live.” The other surgeon says, “Ten percent of people who undergo this procedure die.“The facts are the same. However, research shows people who hear “10% of people die” perceive their risk to be much greater.So when you’re faced with a decision, frame the issue differently. Take a minute to think about whether the slight change in wording affects how you view the problem.

Frame Your Problems In a Different Way

The way you pose a question or a problem plays a significant role in how you’ll respond and how you’ll perceive your chances of success.

Imagine two surgeons. One surgeon tells his patients, “Ninety percent of people who undergo this procedure live.” The other surgeon says, “Ten percent of people who undergo this procedure die.”

The facts are the same. However, research shows people who hear “10% of people die” perceive their risk to be much greater.

So when you’re faced with a decision, frame the issue differently. Take a minute to think about whether the slight change in wording affects how you view the problem.

4Stop Thinking About the ProblemGreat decisions require careful thinking, but sometimes knowing when to take a break can help clarify your choices.When you’re faced with a tough choice, like whether to move to a new city or change careers, you might spend a lot of time thinking about the pros and cons or the potential risks and rewards.While science shows there is plenty of value in thinking about your options, overthinking your choices can be a problem. Weighing the pros and cons for too long may increase your stress level to the point that you struggle to decide.Studies show there’s a lot of value in letting an idea “incubate.” Non-conscious thinking is surprisingly astute. So consider sleeping on a problem.Or get yourself involved in an activity that takes your mind off a problem. Let your brain work through things in the background, and you’re likely to develop clear answers.How to Prevent Decision Fatigue

Stop Thinking About the ProblemGreat decisions require careful thinking, but sometimes knowing when to take a break can help clarify your choices.When you’re faced with a tough choice, like whether to move to a new city or change careers, you might spend a lot of time thinking about the pros and cons or the potential risks and rewards.While science shows there is plenty of value in thinking about your options, overthinking your choices can be a problem. Weighing the pros and cons for too long may increase your stress level to the point that you struggle to decide.Studies show there’s a lot of value in letting an idea “incubate.” Non-conscious thinking is surprisingly astute. So consider sleeping on a problem.Or get yourself involved in an activity that takes your mind off a problem. Let your brain work through things in the background, and you’re likely to develop clear answers.How to Prevent Decision Fatigue

Stop Thinking About the Problem

Great decisions require careful thinking, but sometimes knowing when to take a break can help clarify your choices.

When you’re faced with a tough choice, like whether to move to a new city or change careers, you might spend a lot of time thinking about the pros and cons or the potential risks and rewards.

While science shows there is plenty of value in thinking about your options, overthinking your choices can be a problem. Weighing the pros and cons for too long may increase your stress level to the point that you struggle to decide.

Studies show there’s a lot of value in letting an idea “incubate.” Non-conscious thinking is surprisingly astute. So consider sleeping on a problem.

Or get yourself involved in an activity that takes your mind off a problem. Let your brain work through things in the background, and you’re likely to develop clear answers.

How to Prevent Decision Fatigue

5Set Aside Time to Reflect on Your MistakesMaking great decisions often requires reflecting on where things went wrong in the past. Whether you left the house without an umbrella and got drenched on the way to work, or you blew your budget because you couldn’t resist an impulse purchase, set aside time to reflect on your mistakes.Make it a daily habit to review the choices you make throughout the day. Ask yourself what went wrong when your decisions don’t turn out well. Look for the lessons that can be gained from each mistake you make.Just make sure you don’t dwell on your mistakes for too long. Rehashing your missteps over and over again isn’t good for yourmental health.Keep your reflection time limited—perhaps 10 minutes per day is enough to help you think about what you can do better tomorrow. Then take the information you’ve gained and commit to making better decisions moving forward.

Set Aside Time to Reflect on Your MistakesMaking great decisions often requires reflecting on where things went wrong in the past. Whether you left the house without an umbrella and got drenched on the way to work, or you blew your budget because you couldn’t resist an impulse purchase, set aside time to reflect on your mistakes.Make it a daily habit to review the choices you make throughout the day. Ask yourself what went wrong when your decisions don’t turn out well. Look for the lessons that can be gained from each mistake you make.Just make sure you don’t dwell on your mistakes for too long. Rehashing your missteps over and over again isn’t good for yourmental health.Keep your reflection time limited—perhaps 10 minutes per day is enough to help you think about what you can do better tomorrow. Then take the information you’ve gained and commit to making better decisions moving forward.

Set Aside Time to Reflect on Your Mistakes

Making great decisions often requires reflecting on where things went wrong in the past. Whether you left the house without an umbrella and got drenched on the way to work, or you blew your budget because you couldn’t resist an impulse purchase, set aside time to reflect on your mistakes.

Make it a daily habit to review the choices you make throughout the day. Ask yourself what went wrong when your decisions don’t turn out well. Look for the lessons that can be gained from each mistake you make.

Just make sure you don’t dwell on your mistakes for too long. Rehashing your missteps over and over again isn’t good for yourmental health.

Keep your reflection time limited—perhaps 10 minutes per day is enough to help you think about what you can do better tomorrow. Then take the information you’ve gained and commit to making better decisions moving forward.

6Acknowledge Your ShortcutsAlthough it can be a bit uncomfortable to admit, you’re biased in some ways. It’s impossible to be completely objective.Your mind has created mental shortcuts—referred to asheuristics—that help you make decisions faster. And while these mental shortcuts keep you from toiling for hours over every little choice you make, they can also steer you wrong.Theavailability heuristic, for example, involves basing decisions on examples and information that immediately springs to mind. So if you watch frequent news stories that feature house fires, you’re likely to overestimate the risk of experiencing a house fire.Or if you’ve recently consumed a lot of news about plane crashes, you may think your chances of dying in a plane crash are higher than in a car crash (even though statistics show otherwise).Make it a daily habit to consider the mental shortcuts that lead tobad decisions. Acknowledge the incorrect assumptions you may make about people or events, and you may be able to become a little more objective.

Acknowledge Your ShortcutsAlthough it can be a bit uncomfortable to admit, you’re biased in some ways. It’s impossible to be completely objective.Your mind has created mental shortcuts—referred to asheuristics—that help you make decisions faster. And while these mental shortcuts keep you from toiling for hours over every little choice you make, they can also steer you wrong.Theavailability heuristic, for example, involves basing decisions on examples and information that immediately springs to mind. So if you watch frequent news stories that feature house fires, you’re likely to overestimate the risk of experiencing a house fire.Or if you’ve recently consumed a lot of news about plane crashes, you may think your chances of dying in a plane crash are higher than in a car crash (even though statistics show otherwise).Make it a daily habit to consider the mental shortcuts that lead tobad decisions. Acknowledge the incorrect assumptions you may make about people or events, and you may be able to become a little more objective.

Acknowledge Your Shortcuts

Although it can be a bit uncomfortable to admit, you’re biased in some ways. It’s impossible to be completely objective.

Your mind has created mental shortcuts—referred to asheuristics—that help you make decisions faster. And while these mental shortcuts keep you from toiling for hours over every little choice you make, they can also steer you wrong.

Theavailability heuristic, for example, involves basing decisions on examples and information that immediately springs to mind. So if you watch frequent news stories that feature house fires, you’re likely to overestimate the risk of experiencing a house fire.

Or if you’ve recently consumed a lot of news about plane crashes, you may think your chances of dying in a plane crash are higher than in a car crash (even though statistics show otherwise).

Make it a daily habit to consider the mental shortcuts that lead tobad decisions. Acknowledge the incorrect assumptions you may make about people or events, and you may be able to become a little more objective.

7Consider the OppositeOnce you’ve decided something is true, you’re likely to cling to that belief. It’s a psychological principle known as belief perseverance.It takes more compelling evidence to change a belief than it did to create it, and there’s a good chance you’ve developed some beliefs that don’t serve you well.For example, you might assume you’re a bad public speaker, so you avoid speaking up in meetings. Or you might believe you are bad at relationships, so you stop going on dates.You’ve also developed beliefs about certain groups of people. Perhaps you believe, “People who work out a lot arenarcissists,” or “Rich people are evil.“Those beliefs you assume are always true or 100% accurate can lead you astray. The best way to challenge your beliefs is to argue the opposite.If you’re convinced you shouldn’t speak up in a meeting, argue all the reasons why you should. Or if you’re convinced rich people are bad, list reasons why wealthy people may be kind or helpful.Considering the opposite will help breakdown unhelpful beliefs so you can look at situations in another light and decide to act differently.

Consider the OppositeOnce you’ve decided something is true, you’re likely to cling to that belief. It’s a psychological principle known as belief perseverance.It takes more compelling evidence to change a belief than it did to create it, and there’s a good chance you’ve developed some beliefs that don’t serve you well.For example, you might assume you’re a bad public speaker, so you avoid speaking up in meetings. Or you might believe you are bad at relationships, so you stop going on dates.You’ve also developed beliefs about certain groups of people. Perhaps you believe, “People who work out a lot arenarcissists,” or “Rich people are evil.“Those beliefs you assume are always true or 100% accurate can lead you astray. The best way to challenge your beliefs is to argue the opposite.If you’re convinced you shouldn’t speak up in a meeting, argue all the reasons why you should. Or if you’re convinced rich people are bad, list reasons why wealthy people may be kind or helpful.Considering the opposite will help breakdown unhelpful beliefs so you can look at situations in another light and decide to act differently.

Consider the Opposite

Once you’ve decided something is true, you’re likely to cling to that belief. It’s a psychological principle known as belief perseverance.

It takes more compelling evidence to change a belief than it did to create it, and there’s a good chance you’ve developed some beliefs that don’t serve you well.

For example, you might assume you’re a bad public speaker, so you avoid speaking up in meetings. Or you might believe you are bad at relationships, so you stop going on dates.

You’ve also developed beliefs about certain groups of people. Perhaps you believe, “People who work out a lot arenarcissists,” or “Rich people are evil.”

Those beliefs you assume are always true or 100% accurate can lead you astray. The best way to challenge your beliefs is to argue the opposite.

If you’re convinced you shouldn’t speak up in a meeting, argue all the reasons why you should. Or if you’re convinced rich people are bad, list reasons why wealthy people may be kind or helpful.

Considering the opposite will help breakdown unhelpful beliefs so you can look at situations in another light and decide to act differently.

8Label Your EmotionsPeople are often more inclined to say things like, “I have butterflies in my stomach,” or “I had a lump in my throat,” rather than use feeling words, like sad or nervous, to describe their emotional state.Many adults just aren’t comfortable talking about their feelings. However,labeling your emotionscan be the key to making better decisions. Research has shown that giving your emotions a name can help reduce their intensity,making them less likely to negatively impact your choices.Your feelings play a huge role in the choices you make.Studies consistently show anxiety makes people play it safe. And anxiety spills over from one area of someone’s life to another.So if you’re nervous about the mortgage application you just filed, you might be less likely to ask someone out on a date because you’ll think it sounds too risky.Excitement, on the other hand, can make you overestimate your chances of success. Even if there’s only a small likelihood you’ll succeed, you might be willing to take a big risk if you’re excited about the potential payoffs (this is often the case with gambling).Make it a daily habit to label your feelings. Note whether you’re feeling sad, angry, embarrassed, anxious, or disappointed. Then take a minute to consider how those emotions may be influencing your decisions.

Label Your EmotionsPeople are often more inclined to say things like, “I have butterflies in my stomach,” or “I had a lump in my throat,” rather than use feeling words, like sad or nervous, to describe their emotional state.Many adults just aren’t comfortable talking about their feelings. However,labeling your emotionscan be the key to making better decisions. Research has shown that giving your emotions a name can help reduce their intensity,making them less likely to negatively impact your choices.Your feelings play a huge role in the choices you make.Studies consistently show anxiety makes people play it safe. And anxiety spills over from one area of someone’s life to another.So if you’re nervous about the mortgage application you just filed, you might be less likely to ask someone out on a date because you’ll think it sounds too risky.Excitement, on the other hand, can make you overestimate your chances of success. Even if there’s only a small likelihood you’ll succeed, you might be willing to take a big risk if you’re excited about the potential payoffs (this is often the case with gambling).Make it a daily habit to label your feelings. Note whether you’re feeling sad, angry, embarrassed, anxious, or disappointed. Then take a minute to consider how those emotions may be influencing your decisions.

Label Your Emotions

People are often more inclined to say things like, “I have butterflies in my stomach,” or “I had a lump in my throat,” rather than use feeling words, like sad or nervous, to describe their emotional state.

Many adults just aren’t comfortable talking about their feelings. However,labeling your emotionscan be the key to making better decisions. Research has shown that giving your emotions a name can help reduce their intensity,making them less likely to negatively impact your choices.

Your feelings play a huge role in the choices you make.Studies consistently show anxiety makes people play it safe. And anxiety spills over from one area of someone’s life to another.

So if you’re nervous about the mortgage application you just filed, you might be less likely to ask someone out on a date because you’ll think it sounds too risky.

Excitement, on the other hand, can make you overestimate your chances of success. Even if there’s only a small likelihood you’ll succeed, you might be willing to take a big risk if you’re excited about the potential payoffs (this is often the case with gambling).

Make it a daily habit to label your feelings. Note whether you’re feeling sad, angry, embarrassed, anxious, or disappointed. Then take a minute to consider how those emotions may be influencing your decisions.

9Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted FriendWhen faced with a tough choice, ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend who had this problem?” You’ll likely find the answer comes to you more readily when you’re imagining yourself offering wisdom to someone else.Talking to yourself like a trusted friend takes some of the emotion out of the equation. It will help you gain some distance from the decision and will give you an opportunity to be a little more objective.It will also help you to be a little kinder to yourself.While you may be likely to say negative things to yourself like, “This will never work. You can’t do anything right,” there’s a good chance you wouldn’t say that to your friend. Perhaps you’d say something more like, “You’ve got this. I know you can do it,” if you were talking to a friend.Developing a kinder inner dialogue takes practice. But when you makeself-compassiona daily habit, your decision-making skills will improve.Decidophobia—Understanding the Fear of Making Decisions

Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted FriendWhen faced with a tough choice, ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend who had this problem?” You’ll likely find the answer comes to you more readily when you’re imagining yourself offering wisdom to someone else.Talking to yourself like a trusted friend takes some of the emotion out of the equation. It will help you gain some distance from the decision and will give you an opportunity to be a little more objective.It will also help you to be a little kinder to yourself.While you may be likely to say negative things to yourself like, “This will never work. You can’t do anything right,” there’s a good chance you wouldn’t say that to your friend. Perhaps you’d say something more like, “You’ve got this. I know you can do it,” if you were talking to a friend.Developing a kinder inner dialogue takes practice. But when you makeself-compassiona daily habit, your decision-making skills will improve.Decidophobia—Understanding the Fear of Making Decisions

Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted Friend

When faced with a tough choice, ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend who had this problem?” You’ll likely find the answer comes to you more readily when you’re imagining yourself offering wisdom to someone else.

Talking to yourself like a trusted friend takes some of the emotion out of the equation. It will help you gain some distance from the decision and will give you an opportunity to be a little more objective.

It will also help you to be a little kinder to yourself.While you may be likely to say negative things to yourself like, “This will never work. You can’t do anything right,” there’s a good chance you wouldn’t say that to your friend. Perhaps you’d say something more like, “You’ve got this. I know you can do it,” if you were talking to a friend.

Developing a kinder inner dialogue takes practice. But when you makeself-compassiona daily habit, your decision-making skills will improve.

Decidophobia—Understanding the Fear of Making Decisions

Keep in MindGreat decision-making is a complex skill. It takes good critical thinking skills, the ability to evaluate your own biases, and the willingness to seek out the information that will help you make the right choice.While some decisions will be much more difficult than others, taking steps to support good decision-making can make these choices a little easier. Be wary of overconfidence, understand the risks, reframe the problem, and acknowledge your biases. Make sure you give yourself time to reflect, both on your current choices and past mistakes, and finally, make sure that you’re being kind to yourself as you grapple with these choices.How to Be Less Indecisive

Keep in Mind

Great decision-making is a complex skill. It takes good critical thinking skills, the ability to evaluate your own biases, and the willingness to seek out the information that will help you make the right choice.

While some decisions will be much more difficult than others, taking steps to support good decision-making can make these choices a little easier. Be wary of overconfidence, understand the risks, reframe the problem, and acknowledge your biases. Make sure you give yourself time to reflect, both on your current choices and past mistakes, and finally, make sure that you’re being kind to yourself as you grapple with these choices.

How to Be Less Indecisive

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lowenstein EJ.Patient safety and the mother of all biases: Overconfidence.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(2):127-128. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.005Feld J, Sauermann J, Grip AD.Estimating the relationship between skill and overconfidence.Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 2017;68:18-24. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2017.03.002De Keyser HH, Ramsey R, Federico MJ.They just don’t take their medicines: Reframing medication adherence in asthma from frustration to opportunity.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020;55(3):818-825. doi:10.1002/ppul.24643Gong J, Zhang Y, Feng J, Huang Y, Wei Y, Zhang W.Influence of framing on medical decision making.EXCLI J. 2013;12:20-29. Published 2013 Jan 18.Gilhooly KJ.Incubation and intuition in creative problem solving.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1076. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01076Ehring T.Thinking too much: Rumination and psychopathology.World Psychiatry. 2021;20(3):441-442. doi:10.1002/wps.20910Levy-Gigi E, Shamay-Tsoory S.Affect labeling: The role of timing and intensity.PLoS One. 2022;17(12):e0279303. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0279303Lerner JS, Li Y, Valdesolo P, Kassam KS.Emotion and decision making.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:799-823. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115043Lemire F.Self-compassion.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(12):938.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lowenstein EJ.Patient safety and the mother of all biases: Overconfidence.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(2):127-128. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.005Feld J, Sauermann J, Grip AD.Estimating the relationship between skill and overconfidence.Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 2017;68:18-24. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2017.03.002De Keyser HH, Ramsey R, Federico MJ.They just don’t take their medicines: Reframing medication adherence in asthma from frustration to opportunity.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020;55(3):818-825. doi:10.1002/ppul.24643Gong J, Zhang Y, Feng J, Huang Y, Wei Y, Zhang W.Influence of framing on medical decision making.EXCLI J. 2013;12:20-29. Published 2013 Jan 18.Gilhooly KJ.Incubation and intuition in creative problem solving.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1076. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01076Ehring T.Thinking too much: Rumination and psychopathology.World Psychiatry. 2021;20(3):441-442. doi:10.1002/wps.20910Levy-Gigi E, Shamay-Tsoory S.Affect labeling: The role of timing and intensity.PLoS One. 2022;17(12):e0279303. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0279303Lerner JS, Li Y, Valdesolo P, Kassam KS.Emotion and decision making.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:799-823. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115043Lemire F.Self-compassion.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(12):938.

Lowenstein EJ.Patient safety and the mother of all biases: Overconfidence.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(2):127-128. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.005Feld J, Sauermann J, Grip AD.Estimating the relationship between skill and overconfidence.Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 2017;68:18-24. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2017.03.002De Keyser HH, Ramsey R, Federico MJ.They just don’t take their medicines: Reframing medication adherence in asthma from frustration to opportunity.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020;55(3):818-825. doi:10.1002/ppul.24643Gong J, Zhang Y, Feng J, Huang Y, Wei Y, Zhang W.Influence of framing on medical decision making.EXCLI J. 2013;12:20-29. Published 2013 Jan 18.Gilhooly KJ.Incubation and intuition in creative problem solving.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1076. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01076Ehring T.Thinking too much: Rumination and psychopathology.World Psychiatry. 2021;20(3):441-442. doi:10.1002/wps.20910Levy-Gigi E, Shamay-Tsoory S.Affect labeling: The role of timing and intensity.PLoS One. 2022;17(12):e0279303. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0279303Lerner JS, Li Y, Valdesolo P, Kassam KS.Emotion and decision making.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:799-823. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115043Lemire F.Self-compassion.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(12):938.

Lowenstein EJ.Patient safety and the mother of all biases: Overconfidence.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(2):127-128. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.005

Feld J, Sauermann J, Grip AD.Estimating the relationship between skill and overconfidence.Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 2017;68:18-24. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2017.03.002

De Keyser HH, Ramsey R, Federico MJ.They just don’t take their medicines: Reframing medication adherence in asthma from frustration to opportunity.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020;55(3):818-825. doi:10.1002/ppul.24643

Gong J, Zhang Y, Feng J, Huang Y, Wei Y, Zhang W.Influence of framing on medical decision making.EXCLI J. 2013;12:20-29. Published 2013 Jan 18.

Gilhooly KJ.Incubation and intuition in creative problem solving.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1076. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01076

Ehring T.Thinking too much: Rumination and psychopathology.World Psychiatry. 2021;20(3):441-442. doi:10.1002/wps.20910

Levy-Gigi E, Shamay-Tsoory S.Affect labeling: The role of timing and intensity.PLoS One. 2022;17(12):e0279303. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0279303

Lerner JS, Li Y, Valdesolo P, Kassam KS.Emotion and decision making.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:799-823. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115043

Lemire F.Self-compassion.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(12):938.

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At a Glance#

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast#

Take Note of Your Overconfidence#

Identify the Risks You Take#

Evaluate Your Habits#

Frame Your Problems In a Different Way#

Stop Thinking About the Problem#

Set Aside Time to Reflect on Your Mistakes#

Acknowledge Your Shortcuts#

Consider the Opposite#

Label Your Emotions#

Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted Friend#

Keep in Mind#