Decision Making

How does ineffective decision making influence us?

Can you think of a time that you made a decision that you wished you didn’t?

What are some things that guide/influence our decision making?

What are some things that can get in the way or make decision making difficult?

Analytical Decision Making - Making a decision based on in-depth thinking, facts,

figures, morals, etc. This kind of decision making takes time. These decisions
typically are made when trying to decide on something serious, that requires a lot
of thought

Intuitive Decision Making - Making a decision based on your intuition, or your

“gut feeling”. This kind of decision making is quick, on your feet thinking. These
decisions typically are made when trying to maintain your safety, or know that
something is/may be wrong. Intuitive decision making is not the same as
impulsive decision making

Impulsive Decision Making - This is when you make a decision on a whim, when
you don’t have a lot of time to think about your decision making.

Effective, day-to-day decision making, usually, requires a combination of

analytical and intuitive thinking! You want your decisions to be informed and
effective, but you should never ignore your intuition.

Analytic Decision Making Intuitive Decision Making

Advantages - Factual - Maintains your safety

- Aligns with your beliefs - Quick to make
- Thought out, not - Typically aligns with
“impulsive” your values
- Not acting on emotions

Disadvantages - Takes more time - If it is an important

- Can be stressful topic, it isn’t always fully
- Can cause overthinking thought out
- You may not recognize
other options
- May be made on
emotions
Tips for Making Effective Decisions

- Identify exactly what the decision is that you need to make

- Take a deep breath. Decision making isn’t always easy, but you can do it
- If you can, take a moment to pause and think about the situation. What
do you want, and what do you need
- Reflect on previous experience
- Consider multiple different solutions
- Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the decisions you’re
contemplating
- If you can, try and ask someone else for advice
- Reflect on your decision and the outcome

What kind of decision making would you use?

An aggressive dog starts to run at you

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You are walking at night and someone is making you feel unsafe

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Eat out or cook at home

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You are really trying to save money, but you’ve had a bad day and your
friends are inviting you out to cheer you up

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Walk or take the bus

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You want to buy a pair of headphones that are on sale, but only for
another 30 minutes.

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Your friends are encouraging you to participate in an activity that goes

against your current goals

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Think about a time that you have had to make a decision:

- What kind of decision making style did you use?

- Did you use any of the tips mentioned above?
- Did your decision have a positive result?

Decision making video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPIhAm_WGbQ
Time to make a decision
What is the decision I need to make?

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How long do I have to make this decision?

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What do I want? What do I need?

Want: ____________________________________________________________________________

Need: ____________________________________________________________________________

Reflect: Have I been in this situation before? What did I do and what was
the result?

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What are my options?

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

Advantages

Disadvantages
Do I need advice? Who can I ask?

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Answer the following questions after the situation/decision has been

addressed:

What decision did I make? Was the result what I hoped for?

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Could I have done anything differently? Did I skip any steps/tips?

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Did I learn anything from making this decision?

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