In a cafe, you think about what to order, you want to go on vacation, but you can't decide where.. While some will decide in a second, others struggle with different options. Indecisiveness is considered an undesirable trait, but research shows that it can lead to smarter decisions.
Indecision is impossibility making decisions, which originates from the fear of their consequences or the risk of taking responsibility for them. It is partial character trait, but it is also caused by negative experiences and learned ways of responding. It is a source of stress and anxiety, but can lead to anger, depression and feelings of guilt. A indecisiveness also has a positive impact, as it can protect against common mistakes. Experts say that it is wiser to think before making a decision than to jump to conclusions.
How to tell if you are an indecisive person
There is a way to measure indecision. It is necessary to answer the statements below and rate them on a scale from 1 to 5 - I do not agree (1), I completely agree (5):
- I try to delay decisions.
- I have trouble planning my free time.
- I often worry about making the wrong decision.
- Deciding on innocuous things seems to take too much time.
With the help of this table and results, psychologists proved that it is exaggerated indecisiveness is often a product of perfectionism. Perfectionists are afraid that they can embarrass themselves by making a wrong decision, so they often delay it until they are sure that it is the right one.
The frustration that comes with procrastination can be easy also an obstacle to happiness. Namely, those who have the highest scores when answering the statements are less satisfied with their lives.
If your thoughts are often contradictory and you feel torn between two decisions, you are probably ambivalent. You are for such people they take a lot of time to think about, but according to experts, they are less prone to bias when making decisions. Research has shown that ambivalence can be an advantage and it needs to be encouraged. This enables the necessary break and signals the brain that it is necessary for correctness decisions take time. A simple step towards a faster decision is to limit the time you have available for your own thinking.
Even if in some case your decisions turned out to be "wrong", this is only an opportunity, to change things and learn something new. Above all, listen to your body, because the subconscious has more answers than it shows.
