That was a bad decision! Learn effective decision making skills

Have you ever had trouble making decisions? Don't know what to do in some situations? Have you ever regretted making a decision or wish you hadn't made that specific choice? In today's fast-paced work environment, decisions need to be made all the time and at a moment's notice. This article will give you tips on how to make decisions with no regrets.

Use Critical Thinking and Logic
Think rationally about the problem. Why are you being presented with the issue? Who will be affected by the decision? What will you gain or lose? Are you willing to make sacrifices or accept the consequences? When you think about questions such as this, you are able to come to a rational and logical conclusion and will be prepared for the consequences. Thereby, eliminating surprises.

Speculate outcomes
Before making a decision, think about the possible outcome that could result as a consequence. Then come up with a plan b or even a plan c. Having a plan b or c will prepare you just in case the original plan does not work. When you have alternative solutions, you are prepared for the worse and can quickly take action and implement the next choice. Speculating outcomes will also improve critical thinking skills.

The W.H.O Method
The W.H.O Method is a basic methodology to problem solving and decision making.

W = What is the problem?
Identify the issue. Have a clear understanding of the problem.

H = How can it be resolved?
Can the problem be solved with a quick fix or is there a series of steps or a process that will need to be implemented in order to resolve the issue? When you make this determination, you can go to the next step….

O = Are there other alternatives (plan b and/or c)?
Devise a plan b and/or c. Be prepared; have a backup plan just in case the original plan does not work.

For every problem, there is a solution. Learning how to make good decisions is a skill that will make your life less stressful and more productive.

Accomplish goals and get what you WANT with the W.I.N. List

Task and to-do lists are filled with goals that NEED to be completed. We are so busy trying to achieve these goals, we often forget about our WANTS. You may WANT to obtain a degree and will NEED to enroll in an educational institution, but how are you going to achieve the goal of completion without a clear plan? Creating your W.I.N. (Wants Including Needs) list will give you a clearer picture of your goals and a broader perspective to help you accomplish the objective.

Steps to creating a W.I.N. List:

1. Identify your WANTS first
   

   Think of what you want to do. When you identify your WANTS, you add value to what you want to accomplish which serves as a motivator to complete the tasks listed.
    

2. Identify your NEEDS next
   

   The second step in creating the W.I.N. list is to relate the NEEDS to the wants which will provide focus as to what actually needs to be accomplished and gives a 'layout' of your short and long term goals.
    

3. Speculate the outcomes
   

   What do you expect will happen when each goal is accomplished? Speculating outcomes allows you to not only think outside the box, but to think outside the closet that the box is in. You will be able to see a clearer picture of your goals.
    

   Sample W.I.N. List:
    

Wants	Needs	Outcomes
Degree	Enroll in college	Graduate
Save more money	Stop spending so much	Increase savings
Make more money	Pay bills	Financial freedom

 

Now review your W.I.N. list to determine how you will accomplish each goal. For example, in the sample above, you want to obtain a degree so you need to enroll in an educational institution to graduate. Now think about how you will manage your time to attend classroom or online instruction and how you will use the degree to your advantage.

W.I.N. lists are for the purposes of motivating and inspiring you to achieving your goals. They are designed to give a broader perspective of what needs to be accomplished because of what you WANT. The W.I.N. list is about you and your personal and professional development, use it to your advantage.