How do I make a really good decision? Tips from the experts

Pizza or pasta? The sea or the mountains? An apartment in a big city or a house in the country? In everyday life, people have to make many decisions. Some of them are rather ordinary, others have a huge impact on life. But choosing between two or more alternatives is not so easy.

Thomas Bergner knows how to do it really well. The doctor and coach wrote the book Make Good Decisions (Clet Kota, 329 pages, €32).

“A good decision takes us further in the direction we want to go. It’s good for us,” says Bergner. Plus, don’t hurt another person, an organization, or the environment with it. The expert explains that serious or even intentional injuries to people should be avoided. The least.How does this work in everyday life?Here the decision expert reveals some of his tricks.

This is how you make a good decision

Reduce selection: Dozens of nearly identical products are stacked on supermarket shelves. If you want to start a vocational training or study, you have to choose the right one among the thousands. Bergner advises pre-selecting. Then one chooses one of these discounted alternatives. Give an example of buying a new car. First of all, you can limit yourself to two brands. Then you think about what size the car should be. Gradually, the selection is narrowed more and more.

Decide once and for all: “One can make a basic decision about a certain content once in a lifetime and stick with it ever since,” says the expert. A prime example is Mark Zuckerberg, who wears a similar gray T-shirt every day – and no longer spends his energy thinking about what clothes to wear. Other people eat the same thing for breakfast every day or always buy the same toothpaste. “Of course, the whole spontaneity should not be prevented either,” Bergner advises.

Structure of daily life: Those who make the structure eventually develop habits and routines. The advantage is that these work almost automatically. Thus, no energy is wasted for making daily decisions. “I eat warm food at lunchtime, never in the evening. During the day I only drink water. Coke in the fridge doesn’t interest me at all,” Bergner cites as an example.

Leave unimportant things to others

Perspective change: “Can you see it differently? This is an important question. The answer is always: Of course you can see it differently,” says the coach. If you change the frame, i.e. look at a decision from a different perspective, you loosen the knot in your head a bit.

Let other insignificant people decide: In which restaurant do we eat today? Buying dish soap with lemon or hibiscus scent? Go to a bathing lake or outdoor pool? Such unimportant decisions can be left to others in order to maintain a clear mind.

Approaching the actual topic: Sometimes people tend to put off important decisions and focus on the ones that seem easier instead. Cleaning instead of writing applications is a classic example. This is where it can help to ask yourself, “What do I really want? Is it really about this topic?” If you can find an answer to this topic, the decision will be easier for you.

A night’s sleep on decisions

Make important decisions in the morning: In the morning we feel – at best – good rest and good psychological fitness. Therefore, this time of day is suitable for making important decisions. “Unless you’ve been involved all night, then of course not,” says the expert.

no pressure: Sometimes you’re stuck in a sales meeting or presentation and need to make a decision right away. pressure builds up. In such cases, Bergner advises leaving the situation for a short time – if only on the pretext of having to go to the toilet. There you can get distracted, for example with a game on your smartphone. Usually intuition appears and helps in making the right decision. “Intuition is quiet and not as loud as a gut feeling,” says the coach.

slept on it for one night: Should I accept the job or not? Is the inspected apartment really the right apartment? Such important decisions should also occur in the subconscious mind. That’s why the expert always advises sleeping on it one night – especially if you really want to buy something. The next day, an expensive handbag or a bulky sofa may not seem as indispensable as in the store or while browsing the Internet yesterday.

Set deadlines with dates

Make decisions before you have to: If you go to the supermarket with a shopping list, you won’t be tempted by the local specials. Not everyone who decides what kind of burger they want to eat before going to a fast food restaurant can buy an entire menu. “I’d advise making decisions before you have to, if at all possible,” Bergner says.

Setting deadlines: Experienced dieters will know the sentence well: “I’ll start the day after tomorrow!” This is not a good idea, says the expert. “The day after tomorrow is always the day after tomorrow. Deadlines should always have a specific date,” is his advice.

“Good” is enough: Is this glass cleaner really the best? Couldn’t there be a better match for me as a partner? Bergner advises against striving for the best. “It’s always better. But it takes a long time to make it happen. It costs time and money,” the coach explains, adding, “It has to fit. Been completed.”

Wait, don’t think

Consider the time after the goal: Finally the degree was obtained. Suddenly, a lot of time and energy that a person previously spent to achieve the goal is released. This vacuum can be uncomfortable. “If you want to avoid them, you may not make a decision at all,” Bergner says. That’s why everyone should think about how to deal with it once the big goal is achieved.

Do not question decisions: Unless absolutely necessary. The expert advises: “Watch the course of events carefully and calmly, do not meditate.”

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