Stress Eliminator #2- NO IMPULSIVE DECISIONS

 

Last week we began our journey of minimizing stressors in our lives. Instead of eliminating a ton of stress habits all at once, we are going to take our time working to minimize one stress habit at a time.

Last week our focus was on worry. We worked hard to only worry when it was “go time.” There is no need to worry before an event, b/c something bad might not happen, thus you worried for no reason. But, if the event does go poorly, than you worried twice, once unnecessarily.

So, this week’s stress minimizer is…Drum roll please…….

 

 

Do not make impulsive decisions.

This goes for breaking up with boy/girlfriends, leaving a job, firing an employee, investing in stock, anything. When people make impulsive decisions, it is typically out of emotion. Making impulsive decisions decreases our confidence because those decisions are not strong and had little thought behind them.

And, even if you are in a good mood, if you quickly say “yes” to something that you do not really want to do, now you have to suffer for many days to come- doing things you don’t want to do and taking time away from the stuff you do want to do. Double negative right there.

Instead of making impulsive decisions, write decisions that you are contemplating in your journal and go back to that entry in a day or two. Re-read what you wrote, does this still sound like a good idea?

 

The best method in decision making is actually quite simplistic:            Retreat, Rethink, React- in that order.