Decision making skills and techniques

We use our decision making skills to solve problems by selecting one course of action from several possible alternatives. Decision making skills are also a key component of time management skills.

Decision making can be hard. Almost any decision involves some conflicts or dissatisfaction. The difficult part is to pick one solution where the positive outcome can outweigh possible losses. Avoiding decisions often seems easier. Yet, making your own decisions and accepting the consequences is the only way to stay in control of your time, your success, and your life. If you want to learn more on how to make a decision, here are some decision making tips to get you started.

A significant part of decision making skills is in knowing and practicing good decision making techniques. One of the most practical decision making techniques can be summarized in those simple decision making steps:

Identify the purpose of your decision. What is exactly the problem to be solved? Why it should be solved?

Gather information. What factors does the problem involve?

Identify the principles to judge the alternatives. What standards and judgement criteria should the solution meet?

Brainstorm and list different possible choices. Generate ideas for possible solutions.

Evaluate each choice in terms of its consequences. Use your standards and judgement criteria to determine the cons and pros of each alternative.

Determine the best alternative. This is much easier after you go through the above preparation steps.

Put the decision into action. Transform your decision into specific plan of action steps. Execute your plan.

Evaluate the outcome of your decision and action steps. What lessons can be learnt? This is an important step for further development of your decision making skills and judgement.

Final remark. In everyday life we often have to make decisions fast, without enough time to systematically go through the above action and thinking steps. In such situations the most effective decision making strategy is to keep an eye on your goals and then let your intuition suggest you the right choice.

 

Zabeel Park

Creek Park

First few pictures in Dubai. Taken at Creek Park a month after i came here.

The Wedding

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Literature & Fiction
Author:	Nicholas Sparks

After 30 years, Wilson Lewis, son-in-law to Noah and Allie, is forced to admit that the romance has gone out of his marriage. Despite the shining example of his in-laws' 50-year love affair, Wilson himself is a man unable to express how he truly feels. With the distractions of his daughter's upcoming wedding he is forced to realize how close he is to losing his own wife Jane. But if Wilson is sure of anything, it's this: His love for his wife has only intensified over the years, and he wants nothing more than to make their marriage work. Now, with the memories of his in-laws' inspiring life together as his guide, Wilson pledges to find a way to make his wife fall in love with him...again.

An incredible story about the evolution of love... reading this books leads to self examination.

We haven't gone so far...... infact we're on the first stage of our marriage.... having read this book made me think that this is something i should fear for ourselves down the road.

A Strong Woman versus A Woman Of Strength

 

A strong woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…
But a woman of strength builds relationships to keep her soul in shape

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything…
But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the better of her…
But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…
A woman of strength realises life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings, and capitalises on them

A strong woman wears a look of confidence on her face…
But a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

~Dee Cheeks

Living with Regrets

By Dan Wilson

“If only I had . . . .”

  Raise your hand if you have never completed that sentence.  I didn’t think so.  Not one of you raised your hand.  Not that I can see you, of course, but I’ve been around long enough to know that no one travels very far through life without experiencing regrets.  Sometimes they are things we’ve done and other times things we failed to do. . . .  I didn’t raise my hand either, by the way.

For me it was college.  Rather than being a time of adventure and discovery, of hope and preparation for the future, college was a time in my life of chaos and confusion.  If only I had attended a smaller college rather than a large university, I’ve often thought.  Perhaps a smaller environment would have provided clearer vision and greater focus.  If only I could do it over again.  Then again, what if I had?  What if I had attended a different school, how would I have met my lovely wife who produced our two wonderful sons who married our beautiful daughters-in-law who will soon bear our first two grandchildren?  If I had done it differently, how would I have this awesome life I have today?

“Make the most of your regrets,” advised Henry David Thoreau.  But how, we ask ourselves?  Regrets are consequences that occur from our failures and mistakes, from making the wrong choices when we’ve encountered forks in the road.  But even those wrong paths we choose may be paved with blessings, sometimes enormous ones, if we will recognize them.  It is in recognizing those blessings and expanding upon them that we make the most of our regrets.

“If only I had . . . .” is a common remark we all make from time to time.  It’s our way of imagining what might have been had we chosen a different path.  But let us not forget that regrets can only be redeemed in what we did with the choices we made, not the ones we didn’t. 

Love Yourself

Stop All Criticism - Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

Don't Scare Yourself - Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It's a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure (mine is yellow roses), and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

Be Gentle And Kind And Patient - Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.

Be Kind To Your Mind - Self hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.

Praise Yourself - Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

Support Yourself - Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.

Be Loving To Your Negatives - Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now, you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So, lovingly release the old negative patterns.

Take Care Of Your Body - Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

Mirror Work - Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents looking into the mirror. Forgive them too. At least once a day say: "I love you, I really love you."

Love Yourself .. Do It Now - Don't wait until you get well, or lose the weight , or get the new job, or the new relationship. Begin now - and do the best you can.

 

~ Louise Hay