A day is always made up of different small decisions. I will wear this; What do you feel like doing on your day off; or I’ll have this for lunch. For some people this isn’t a real big deal, however for an adult with ADHD making decisions (big or small) isn’t easy. They agonize over what to do, pacing back and forth and then second guessing themselves even after the decision has been made.
Here are some tips to help make decisions easily and with confidence
Write Down The Objective – What is it you eventually want to accomplish. Is it to get a new job, finish school? The objective should be clearly written and stated in a way in which describes the benefits of achieving the goal. For example, I want to organize my desk so I can use the desk more efficiently vs. I want to organize my desk.
Get the Facts: The Good and Bad – Do your homework and get information (the good, bad, and the like and dislike) about the decision you want to make. You are not making the decision yet, you are just making an assessment of all of your options. There is no rush to get through this step. The more time you take to collect all the information, the better your decision will be.
List the Possible Consequences of the Decision – Think about all the possibilities of the decision and choice. Try to detach yourself from the emotion – and only focus on the possibilities. What would happen if? How would I feel if? Listing the positive and negative at this step is a good idea.
Do A Gut Check – Now that you have done the above steps, sit in quiet space where you will not be disturbed and imagine each situation you have listed. Is your stomach tied up in knots? Is your heart beating with excitement? Pay attention to what your body is telling you and write it down.
Don’t Think It Over – Try to steer clear of placing judgment on what you have written down. Be open to the fact that you may not know, what you may not know.
Make the Decision – Look over the work you have finished and figure out which decision brings you the most favorable results, along with the most positive gut reactions. These facts will guide you to the best decisions.
Stick With Your Decision – Once you have made your decision, trust the process. Follow through the process till the end because you don’t want to quit 10 minutes before the miracle.
Give Yourself Permission to Plot a Route of the Unexpected – Try to be rational in the sense you may have to give your permission t move differently in the event of an unexpected crisis. Obliviously, things do come up when you make plans, so know that even in the best thought out plan can be altered in the face of the life unexpected.
Review & Assess – Take time to review & assess your progress. This will give you confidence to continue when you have positive results, and tweak your direction as needed to maintain momentum.
No Regrets – In spite of what you accepted of your decision to create, congratulate yourself that you made the best decision with all of the information that you collected. There is not one person in this world, and especially some of the greatest successes in history who has not had the opportunity to learn from a decision.