Blog Short #13: The 24-Hour Decision-Making Rule
Photo by Milles Studio for Unsplash+
Ever make a fast decision you’re sorry for later?
Who hasn’t!
Some decisions are easy with minor repercussions, but others produce a string of reactions that come back at you, or keep showing up in the future.
Either way, it’s good to use a strategy I call the 24-Hour Decision-Making Rule.
You can pretty much figure out what that means just by the title. When you have to make a decision, or you have the impulse to do something or say something (which is a decision), give it 24 hours and see if you still want to do it.
Better yet, make this a habit so you don’t impulsively do something you’re sorry about later.
You can apply this rule to decisions of all kinds, including simple things like posting something on social media out of anger. Or maybe a more serious decision, like going into your boss’s office and giving him a piece of your mind. Buying something on the fly without thinking about whether you can really afford it. Getting the rescue dog at the pet store that’s so adorable without considering whether you have the time or money to take care of it.
All of these decisions involve emotions that push out your ability to think it through. The thing is:
You need your emotional brain and thinking brain to work together, and that doesn’t always happen with snap decisions.
Good decisions are best made when both your emotions and your thinking capacity are engaged in a concerted effort to deliberately and consciously choose the best possible outcome, or to avoid a choice that will be detrimental to yourself and others.
Allowing a time lapse between the impulse to act and the act itself provides space for this process to occur. And for serious decisions with big consequences, it’s definitely a lifesaver.
Here’s when you don’t need to use the 24-hour rule:
- A quick decision required in an emergency.
- The decision isn’t impulsive, and you’ve already done the necessary deliberation and planning to make the best choice.
- Simple decisions that are made every day that aren’t emotionally driven, such as what time to get up, when to eat dinner, or anything that’s just part of your normal routine.
Here’s when you need to use the 24-hour rule:
- The decision is emotionally driven. Maybe you’re angry, depressed, or anxious, and your mood is pushing you from the inside to act now!
- There’s an important relationship issue involved. This can be with a partner, a friend, a child, a boss, a co-worker, or even someone you don’t know but are interacting with.
- The decision will have consequences for your budget or time consumption.
- There’s a gray area between what you want to do and your values or conscience.
- You’re physically or mentally impaired. Maybe you’re ill, foggy-brained, or simply in a bad mood and not thinking clearly.
Just to make it easy, I generally use the 24-hour rule for every decision I can, even small ones, as a matter of habit. It simplifies things.
You know that if you still want to do that thing in 24 hours, you feel good about the decision because you’ve thought it through and likely run it through your pros/cons lens.
What’s surprising when you begin this is to find out how many decisions you decide against when you allow the 24 hours, and what kinds of problems you avoid by doing that. That’s the silver lining!
It also gives you a lot more control over your future – even your next day future! It feels good to have self-discipline and to use your emotions to work for you instead of against you.
For the next several weeks, try deferring some decisions, even small ones, for 24 hours, and see what happens. You might learn more about yourself!
That’s all for today!
Have a great week!
All my best,
Barbara