Want to save time? Make a decision and stick with it.
A one-time decision takes stress and choosing time out of the equation.
Stop wasting time deciding which shampoo will make your hair prettier. Don’t worry if the new barbeque sauce will taste better. Stop wondering which app will make you productive. Pick one and move on.
The brain only has enough energy to deal with a limited number of things every day. The rest of the time we are running on autopilot. If you use all of the limited energy making, and remaking the same decisions, you are just wasting brainpower and making yourself cranky.
What if You Just Made a Decision?
What if instead of re-deciding, every time you went to the store, which brand of X you will buy, you simply decided to buy your favorite until it’s no longer available?
Now you are not only saving the time it takes to make the decision, but the time it takes to learn how much of the new product to use, and in what order to use it with the other things you use or wear. And because you are sticking with those decisions too, it all works.
What if you decided where to keep your keys instead of leaving them in a different spot everyday? No more hunting them down everyday and you would probably get out the door on time.
I recently helped a client calculate how much “only a little” amount of time she would save by knowing where her keys are. Sixteen hours per year might not seem like a lot when it comes in 3-5 minute increments, but I see it as two whole days!
What if you decided to go with uniform dressing? Now all your clothes work with all the other pieces in your wardrobe and you will always have a pulled together outfit.
What if you took the stress out of meal time? How about deciding on the 10 best dinners you like to eat and make those over and over. Now, you won’t repeat more than three times in a month and you will get really good at making it fast. You will also be more likely to have all the ingredients in the pantry if you get used to picking up those items when you are at the grocery store.
Making all kinds if decisions once and sticking with them will save time, effort, money, and energy.
What if you pick the store, gas station, and other go to places? Get to know the people in the shops. Eventually they will let you in on specials and discontinued items so you know when to start a new decision making process.
I only drink coffee with milk when I go to a coffee shop. Therefore, no more standing in front of the board wondering which of the 27 fancy drinks will hit the spot. They are all loaded with sugar anyway. I know I like a good strong cup of coffee. No stress.
How to Make a Decision and Stick to It
Just decide course of action!
Decide what order you will do the basic administrative tasks during your workday. Do them in the same order. You will get faster and save transition time and all the “what do I work on next?” worry.
Decide to get ready for bed in the same order every night. Then you won’t have to decide what to do next.
Decide where the things in your home live and you will always know where to put them. No more moving the mail from the mailbox, to the kitchen counter, to the bottom step, to the office. Save time, just put the mail directly where it should go.
Once and done. Making a decision and sticking to it isn’t as boring as you might think. It’s very liberating. Freedom is a wonderful thing. Above all, you will have more decision juice to use for the important decisions, like who you want to be today?
Keep Reading: Clutter is Unmade Decisions
