Each of us deals with decision-making on a daily basis. Some come easier to us, while others present difficulties that affect various processes. Making decisions is often associated with a sense of uncertainty, fear, and responsibility. Every decision has its consequences – positive or negative.

Over the years, many ways and tactics for making decisions have been developed. It is important to find your own way of decision-making that works best for you. 😊

According to data collected by Cornell University, an adult makes around 35,000 decisions per day, with approximately 226 of them related to food¹. What guides our decision-making process?

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified several of the most popular ways of decision-making, which are often used in different combinations:

• impulsivity – quick selection of the first option, and the decision-making process is finished,
• conformity to others’ good – choosing the option that is most convenient for the people affected by the decision,
• delegation – delegating the task of making a decision to trusted individuals,
• avoidance – fear of taking responsibility causes us to avoid or ignore making decisions,
• balancing – finding a balance between various factors related to the decision, examining them, and then using them to make the best decision,
• prioritization and reflection – investing a lot of effort, energy, and thoughts in prioritizing factors that will have the greatest impact on the decision².

If you want to improve your way of making important decisions, try creating a so-called Adenauer’s Cross, or a list of pros and cons. It is one of the simplest ways, but who said that a method has to be difficult? 🙂

¹ https://www.pbsnc.org/blogs/science/how-many-decisions-do-we-make-in-one-day/ [accessed: March 29, 2023]
² Ibid.