A Guide To Decision Making: How To Get Off The Fence & Move On

When I was 10 months into my maternity leave, I sat down one naptime at my corner desk in the spare bedroom, fully intending to write my flexible working request. Instead, I ended up typing out my notice. Once my reasons for leaving were down in black and white, it was like opening Pandora’s box. I couldn’t shake the thought off. It was like the act of writing it down put me on the other side of the decision. So I rang my boss and gave my notice, there and then over the phone.

It sounds pretty spontaneous, and perhaps even a little irresponsible. I hadn’t discussed the final decision with my other half, and I didn’t have savings in the bank to back us up. I wasn’t earning and my SMP had just come to an end after 9 months off. However in reality, it was a long time coming.

The idea of not going back to the 9-5 had been bubbling under somewhere for months, and talked about at length, maybe since I was pregnant even. I vividly remember clearing my desk at work on my last day before mat leave started, with the very real feeling I wouldn’t be coming back, even though to all intents and purposes that was the plan.

I wouldn’t call myself impulsive or even particularly decisive. But when I get those gut feelings, I go with them.

The lesson I took from this? Quite often when we aren’t taking action or seeing results in life/business, its because there’s a decision under the surface that’s waiting to be made.

You need to decide: either do, or don’t, before you can move on and take action.

What questions are keeping you awake at 3am? Write them down, and see if you can actually answer them. Start by brainstorming all your options first, then you can really see what you’re working with. It makes for a great journalling exercise, if you’re into that.

Lay them all out, then reflect.

What’s the decision that needs to be made? Is it really ‘Should I quit my job’? or is it ‘What business can I start around my current employment?’. Is it ‘Should I give up on this idea, as I have no time?’ or could it be ‘How can I make this work within the time I do have?’.

What’s the question YOU need to make a decision on right now?

If you’re still struggling with decision making, you can book in for a free 30-min consultation call and I’ll help you get clarity on where you are, where you want to be – and what the decision is that you’re really grappling with.