How to Make Better Everyday Decisions
How to Make Better Everyday Decisions
Life is made up of tiny decisions. What we choose to do, say, and believe all contribute to ultimately creating the life we live. These decisions not only benefit us now, but will benefit our future self and loved ones.
So how can we set ourselves up for success so we’re more likely to make those good everyday decisions?
Today we want to share three ways you can start making better everyday decisions.
Start with your morning - Training your brain to work WITH you in the morning can help set yourself up for success for the rest of the day.
Set an intention for the day - Helps you make less decisions throughout your day.
Be kind to yourself - Practice quieting your inner critic when things aren’t going well so you can remind yourself who you actually are & start making better everyday choices.
Let’s go over each one in more detail…
Start With Your Mornings
Making better decisions throughout the day can sometimes be traced back to how you started your morning.
You want to practice training your brain to work WITH you in the morning so you can start making better decisions from the get go.
This might look like redirecting your brain when you want to start to:
Check your phone first thing in the morning
Start feeling rushed because you’re thinking of all the tasks you need to get done in a short amount of time
Start cleaning up a few things you see around the house before doing your morning routine or working on your priority for the day.
Start doing whatever pops into your head or whatever is calling for attention instead of what is on your to do list.
You want to slowly practice redirecting your brain to what matters most to you!
There might be some practical tools you could try to help make things easier for you. Think design over willpower.
It also helps to give yourself space in between an urge and action.
Starting your morning off right sends a message to your brain that you have things under control even when you can’t control your circumstances.
Quick challenge:
Take note of how your mind felt this morning.
Cluttered, distracted, rushed, clear, peaceful, confident etc.
See if there are any subtle shifts you could make to have a clearer mind tomorrow morning.
Go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, plan the day the night before, take a few deep breaths as soon as you wake up etc.
Set an Intention For The Day
Wouldn’t it be great if you had to make less decisions throughout your day?
As a society we pride ourselves in MORE. More choices, more options and more opportunities. But that can lead us to experiencing decision fatigue.
So instead we recommend you set an intention for the day. This can help you make less decisions throughout the day, because your intention has already made that choice for you.
Deciding ahead of time is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make!
We want you to have a clear picture of what you what & where you’re going so that every little decision you do make today will help guide you to where you want to be.
Kristin uses her purpose statement to then create her monthly goals, which then helps her create her daily to do list. This way she has decided ahead of time what matters most to her and how she’s going to make it happen.
Quick challenge:
Try setting an intention for the day
Take a few deep breaths and a moment of silence to picture how you want to show up today. Pick a word, phrase or a personal mantra that will help you redirect your focus for the day.
Be Kind To Yourself
What happens when you don’t make the best decision? What does your inner critic say?
We’ve found that creating a kind dialogue with ourselves has helped us make more progress instead of focusing on our faults, feeling guilty or getting mad at ourselves for the bad decision that we made.
Try softening your inner critic so your inner mentor speaks louder. This will allow you to start doing the work that matters most to you even if you’ve made a few not-so-great decisions beforehand.
Quick Challenge:
Notice your inner dialogue when you make a decision that you feel guilty about.
Could be when you spend 20 extra minutes on social media, procrastinating a project or eating too many sugary treats
Speak to yourself with love and encouragement instead of frustration or guilt
Make your next little decision something you’re proud of!
You can also take note of how you’re treating yourself throughout the day. Are you giving your body and mind the rest and nourishment it needs? You can ask yourself, “What do I actually need today?”
Remind yourself of the person you truly are by asking yourself, “Who am I?” And then start making those little daily decisions that reflect the real you.
We know you can be an amazing example to those around you. You might even inspire others to make better choices and decisions as well!
Start small. We can’t wait to see how your everyday decisions help you create the life you want to live!
-Laura + Kristin
Want to listen to our conversation?
Click below or on apple podcasts & choose episode 135 to listen to the full podcast episode.
You can also search The Progress Project on any podcast app including Spotify!
Podcast Ep. 135 How to Make Better Everyday Decisions
Life is made up of tiny decisions. What we choose to do, say, and believe all contribute to ultimately creating the life we live. So how can we set ourselves up for success so we’re more likely to make those good everyday decisions?
Listen in to learn:
How starting your morning off right sets the entire day up for success
How to choose an intention for the day based on the big picture of what you want
How to quiet your inner critic when things aren’t going well and redirect your day
Links Mentioned
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If you liked this topic, you’ll really love these blog posts & podcast episodes!
Ep. 117 Softening Your Inner Critic
Ep. 110 Time Management for Creative Moms
