Decision-making is difficult, but there are a few strategies you can put into place to help make better choices this holiday season. The holidays are jam-packed with options: what to buy for gifts, who to spend time with, or whether to reach for another cookie. Try these tips to feel good about your decisions and reduce regret:
- Remember the basics. Good health habits lay the foundation for making better decisions. But when you’re busy or stressed, it’s easy to forget the basics. Stay current on dietary guidelines to help make healthy food choices. Build in time for exercise because staying active benefits both body and mind. The mood-enhancing, stress-buffering effects of exercise can boost your confidence and clarity with decision-making as well. And use HPRC’s sleep tips to make sure you start each day with a full tank because sleep lays the foundation for optimal emotional, mental, and ethical functioning.
- Slow down. It’s really easy to go on autopilot and make thoughtless, “emotionally charged” decisions. However, this can lead to outcomes you might regret. So take pause when you can. Try the STOP technique: Take a tactical pause, breathe deeply, and note your thoughts and feelings before you begin to weigh your options.
- Use “if…then” thinking. The holidays are filled with temptations to do and say regrettable things, drink or eat more than you want, or spend more money than you planned. “If...then” thinking can help you proactively head off poor choices by connecting a situation or circumstance to an alternative action or behavior that you planned ahead of time. For example, you might say to yourself, “IF I find myself getting worked up by a political discussion, THEN I will see if cousin Jack wants to go for a walk.”
‘Tis the season for decisions. Make sure you’re making good ones. A little proactive planning can help you make wiser choices and avoid the decision pitfalls that are common this time of year.