Associate Professor Jason Tangen from UQ's School of Psychology discussed decision-making with the Sydney Morning Herald, and how it is common for people to struggle with the issue.
Dr Tangen says there are ways to become better at making decisions.
First, he advises approaching the issue in a detached manner saying “There’s a lot to be said for thinking about the problem like a scientist.”
Start by taking a step back and identifying the problem clearly. Then, ignore advice about simply going with your gut instinct.
The problem with trusting your gut, he says, is that it’s hard to notice if something is missing from your list of deal-breakers.
Instead, spend time working on the problem to nut out all the important aspects.
The more information you can gather, the better, says Tangen, who recommends bringing in the big guns for advice.
“It’s helpful to trust experts and independent agencies who do all the hard work so you don’t have to.”
Once you have all the information you need, take the time to consider how you feel deep down.
In other words, Dr Tangen says, now is the time to let your “gut instinct” have its say.
