Have you ever made a decision that you later regretted? A decision that when you look back on it, you realize you didn't give yourself enough time to think it through and really get to grips with it before you made your choice? If so, this is one of those questions I see quite frequently.

So how do we avoid making rash decisions? Here are my tips for staying less regretful.

1) Get some help


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If you find yourself in a situation where you are unsure about what to do next, you could always refer to an adviser or consultant who can help you reach the right decision. Your brain might not be fully clear-eyed at present. An advisor will guide you through your process and let you know if anything is unclear. You can ask them any number of scenarios for example; ‘Do we need something new? Do we have too much history and are there other things we should consider? What about the kids? Is dad working too? How long will it take? Can we pay off our student loans sooner?’ With such little information on hand, they can help you make more informed choices which you can then incorporate into our own considerations over time. This also helps us better prepare ourselves when we decide whether we want to go ahead with the option or not. It makes me wonder; perhaps the decision you made yesterday was wrong from start to end? Maybe you just don’t have the mental capacity to think it through properly and you are choosing between two options.

2) Check things out


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If you want to make more informed decisions, ask yourself how you went about selecting and choosing the option you are considering. Make sure you think outside the box and test yourself. Asking people around you and asking others is good because they aren't judging you or suggesting you make a final decision which you then have to live by. When it comes to choosing a career choice, try asking different people. Don’t limit yourself to only the ones you already know or the things you read on a dating app. Try telling you friends or family members their opinion or experiences. Even more effective is listening to these stories and asking them to share theirs. Then, ask yourself their thoughts and opinions. Ask them questions like ‘why did you choose this job’ and ‘how did you feel choosing it?’ This is important. Being able to engage with others gives you greater insight into their thinking and allows you to be open to different perspectives.

3) Ask for help

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If you feel like you want to make the most informed, capable decision you can make for yourself, ask for advice. And don’t feel bad in doing so. The worst person to seek help is the person who will make you feel stupid or incompetent. So ask, and trust me this will probably work for you. Most people will tell me they would recommend you to someone else, but will never say directly to you. But your gut will feel your way and when something feels like the answer, it will often be right. My husband and I used to get the same feeling when we had to make decisions over and over again, without being explicitly told, and we were both completely overwhelmed. We took the advice. I never wanted to make mistakes. And it has helped.

4) Think in terms of consequences

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If you decide to commit a mistake, figure out what will happen if you make an error and how it will affect others and yourself. Are you going to be angry or upset? Will you be embarrassed? Will you be surprised? What effect will it have and how will you react to it? These questions are extremely helpful as well.

5) Set realistic expectations

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Try setting realistic deadlines, like maybe for a project. When I set unrealistic targets, it usually leads to delays and eventually I give up because I am not delivering on those timelines. Setting realistic limits and knowing what is realistic means you don’t give up and continue moving forward no matter what you do. That's pretty cool. In my experience, people who stick to realistic plans all the time manage better than those who don't. I always had to deal with the uncertainty that comes with planning things down a certain path. Which is why in business and personal life, having realistic goals has been key.

6) Know what you need to achieve

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When you are faced with a choice, it can become overwhelming or lead you astray into negative thoughts. Having a sense of direction will help help you stay focused on a particular goal and to identify what needs to be achieved before any decisions can be taken. For example, maybe you are struggling with social anxiety and want to go back to having more conversations. Perhaps you are looking to meet someone and want to change the area you live in or work. Whatever it is, know how you want to improve things and to achieve great success. Now the real work begins.

7) Stop worrying about the future

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Like any job out there, time and resources are finite. However, there is a difference between achieving things today, and ensuring a successful career tomorrow. Just because you want to be a CEO tomorrow doesn’t mean you need to be now. There is an abundance of resources available and time is limited. You do not have to worry about what other people think about the decisions you make. At best you should be working towards getting the job done or finishing an assignment successfully. At worst, you should want to be happy with your work or to finish things successfully. In the end, you should know where you are heading and what success looks like. No one expects you to know everything tomorrow or even in the nearest future. Stop focusing on the unknown. Remember you can always learn from your mistakes and move forward. You may be stumped along the way, but you will get closer to what you are looking for, and more satisfied with the outcome.

It should never go to your head that you are going to lose a job or fail a course. Life can’t be planned in concrete and rigid steps. Sometimes there will be difficulties. We should remember to stop fretting, worrying and doubting.