5 Minutes to Stress-Free Decisions

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. - Steven Covey

Decisions are part of life, both personally and professionally. 

We make hundreds of them everyday without thinking about it but there are some decisions that are harder to make than others.

Have you ever had to make an important decision and had very little time to make it?
 
Odds are, that left you feeling anxious and seriously stressed out.
 
This recipe of making a tough call on a tight deadline means we can’t take the time to think things through, or do the research we’d like to help guide us in arriving at a decision. This decision-making pressure cooker environment can also lead to worrying about the fallout of the choice we make.

In a recent Inc. Magazine article, Jeff Steen shares his 5-minute, 4-rung ladder rule as a way to dial down the stress involved with making (and worrying about) tough personal and professional decisions.

Rung #1: Ask two questions

• Will this decision have a measurable or noticeable impact on my people, my company, or society?
• Is this decision time-sensitive?

 
If the answer to both questions is NO, there is no need to make a hasty decision. You can take time to weight the options and gather more information.

If you answer YES or MAYBE to one of the questions, move to Rung #2.

Rung #2: Place and time to focus

• Dedicate five uninterrupted minutes to focus purely on the decision at hand.
• Remove distractions - close the door to your room or office or go someplace quiet where you can think.

Five minutes where you can concentrate without interruptions and distractions enables you to think more clearly and focus on the decision at hand.
 
Rung #3: Write down fact-based options and outcomes

• On a piece of paper, define each option in one sentence. Keep it brief and stick to what you know (facts and verified observations).
• Next to each option, write a single sentence describing the most likely outcome. Steen reiterates the importance of sticking to what you know is true, likely, or proven based on fact or observation.

This step, explains Steen, is crucial, as it allows you to map real outcomes to the decision. It also shines a light on options and outcomes that aren’t well-defined and require more clarity before arriving at an informed outcome.

Rung #4: Choose the most desirable options and outcomes

• Circle the best possible outcome. Highlight the decision that corresponds to it. This is your #1 choice.
• Circle the next best outcome and highlight the corresponding option. If, for whatever reason, your first choice is not possible, this is your backup.

Although this exercise may seem overly simple, what it does, says Steen, is twofold.

First, it forces you to think about each of the identifiable details and facts of a decision, which minimizes being influenced by emotion or external stressors.

Second, the ladder rule trains you to approach decision-making in a very impartial, measured way. After undergoing this exercise several times, you may find that you can mentally climb the "ladder” in your head without needing to write your options down.
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So, the next time you are faced with a tough decision, find a quiet space, grab pen and paper, and take five minutes to climb this four-rung ladder.