Decisions, Decisions (Part I)
From the time you get up in the morning, until the moment you slide into sleep at night, the ever-present task in our lives is making decisions. Research published in Psychology Today suggests that most of us make around 35,000 decisions a day. Can that be true?
Actually, it can. Within our 14 or so waking hours, that figure boils down to approximately 2 decisions a minute. If that seems incredible, remember that decisions come in all sizes. Many are tiny (What time shall I set my alarm for?) Some of them are so integral to our daily functioning that we don’t even recognize that we are at a minute decision point: selecting the water temperature when showering, for example. Random external cues trigger decision-making: That donut looks good. Shall I eat it? And, often, one decision leads to another: I need gas. Do I have time to get some? Which station will be fastest? Cheapest? Cash or credit? Which credit card? Rat-a-tat-tat, we make rapid fire sequential decisions all the time. Examined at this granular level, it can seem as if all we DO is make decisions!
Every role we play has decisions attendant to it. As a parent (Can Janie have a sleepover?) a partner (I wonder if I should tell my spouse I want to have more alone time?) or simply as a member of the human race (Will I give money to the woman holding the “I am homeless” sign at this intersection?) making decisions is inextricably woven into living our lives.
Nowhere is this more true than at work. Our work roles present a never-ending stream of decisions. In many ways, making decisions is at the core of what we are being paid to do. Whether we are bagging groceries at the market (shall I put the eggs at the top of this bag or in a separate bag?) or zipping through our email inbox (Delete? Reply? How?) the moment we start functioning in our work role, the list of decisions we must make to do our jobs unfurls.
Of course, not all decisions are of the same magnitude. Clearly, when choice points are not even considered (use paper clip or staple?) they are not consuming much—if any-- time or effort. But our jobs generate a full continuum of work-related decisions, from relatively unnoticed to mission critical. And, as such, they require different degrees of consideration. But how much does each deserve?
Lots of variables affect the amount of resource—usually time and effort---an individual devotes to making a given decision. The decision-maker’s innate behavioral preference for a particular decision-making style (Shoot from the hip? Painstaking research and reflection?) is obviously an influence. But people may also adapt their approach to decision-making based on learning. The individual’s assessment of the amount of “knowable” information related to choice-making is another factor that drives the degree and speed of consideration: In a world driven by data and its analysis, individuals may well differ in their assessment of how much data is sufficient for making a particular decision.
External variables such as the scope of impact of the choice under consideration, are also a factor: Decisions which are overtly high impact, such as whether or not to put a company up for sale, typically have a structured-in organizational process that is a non-negotiable roadmap; few CEO’s would take this step without consulting their board, for instance, and, if there are shareholders, they will expect to weigh in, as well. Decisions made in performance of one’s job are, ultimately, complex entities.
We are all awash in decisions every day, and each of our decision streams is idiosyncratic to our work and our selves. But, common to us all is the correlation between quality of decision-making and outcomes: success in life and work most frequently comes to those who generally make good decisions and who consistently make important decisions well.
Are you aware of all the decisions you make? Might you benefit from raising some currently unrecognized choices to a level of conscious consideration? Have you considered how and why you reach decisions? And, when you face tomorrow’s 35,000 decisions, will you make them well?
You can make a good decision right now that will help set you up for success: Stay tuned for Decisions, Decisions part 2!