June 24, 2025- It constantly amazes me how people are willing to make major decisions without a lot of thought into how they are doing emotionally. They may feel they need to make a decision and they make it regardless of of the emotional or physical state they are in to make such a decision. My point is not to say one must spend a lot of time before they make any decisions by checking off some list of factors. No, my point is that good decision-making requires a process that a person has developed to effectively use to make sure they do not make bad decisions. Included would be the following: 1. Full awareness of their emotional condition in relation to such things as anxiety, depression, and a reasonable view of what is occurring in their lives. 2. Determine important decisions will not be made when struggling emotionally, physically fatigued, very tired, or overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life. 3. Prioritize when important decisions need to be made and make them after careful thought. Persons often spend a lot of time thinking about decisions that are really not that important and do not focus on things that are critical in their lives. 4. Do not make decisions if in a hurry or distracted in a manner that does not allow you to fully pay attention to decisions you are making. 5. If you are not sure what to do, it is wise to talk to an expert or someone you trust prior to making what could be a bad decision. 6. Set reasonable timelines/deadlines for making a decision rather than constantly ruminating and debating what to do. 7. Determine the options or choices prior to making decisions. Persons often make decisions, even important ones like buying or selling a home, buying a car, accepting or not accepting a job or job promotion, without really weighing the impact the choice will make in their lives. 8. Make sure you take control of your decision-making. Do not make bad decisions based on input from persons who may be pressing you or pushing you to do something you have no desire to do, and quite candidly may not be in your best interest. 9. When you cannot make a choice and you are in the situation of constantly thinking about something and not able to make a decision, the best thing to do is not make a decision and sleep on it. Things often seem clearer after a good night’s sleep and your chances of not making a bad decision are much higher.