Our lives are full of decisions which need to be made, ranging from trivial (‘What should I have for breakfast?’) to extremely significant (‘Should I quit my job and pursue my dream of becoming a freelance photographer?’). If you find yourself struggling with some or all of the decisions in your life, you’re certainly not alone. Here are five reasons you might be finding decision making hard right now – and what you can do about it.
(1) Decision fatigue
You might be facing so many decisions on a daily basis that your brain is struggling to keep up. This can happen to anyone, but it’s a particularly common problem for working parents, who can be so worn out by a myriad of minor decisions that there’s little energy left for anything else.
(2) Complex decisions
Not all decisions have an obvious answer, and not all problems have a perfect solution. Deciding whether or not to move interstate to pursue a job offer, contemplating a career change, or resolving different ideas about how many children you and your partner should have are all examples of issues where you could find yourself considering a long list of different factors.
(3) High-impact decisions
Even if the answer to your situation seems clear-cut, it can be hard to make a decision when you know it will bring about major changes to your life, or significantly affect the lives of those around you.
(4) Fear of failure
Making a decision can be scary, particularly if you decide to go after a long-held dream. You might find yourself asking questions like, ‘What if I risk everything for my dream – and fail?’ or ‘What will I do if the new business fails, and I lose my savings?’
(5) Fear of disapproval
Another common fear is that other people won’t approve of the decision you know deep down you want to make. You know you want to quit that job, leave that relationship, or buy that crazily impractical cottage by the sea…but if you suspect your friends and family will react negatively, it can be hard to be decisive.
Overcoming these obstacles that may have been holding you back for years isn’t easy and you don’t have to do it alone. Have you considered life coaching? Sometimes we just need a push in the right direction or someone to hold our hand and guide us through the hard decisions.
Most people struggle with these issues at some point, so if you’re experiencing difficulties with decision making, you’re in good company. A life coach can help you develop strategies for dealing with decision fatigue, provide an unbiased perspective on difficult decisions, and assist you to reflect on fears which may be getting in your way. If you’re interested in how life coaching could help with the decisions in your life, contact Eiran on 0466 495 711 or email eiran@eirantrethowan.com.au.