How to put some decisions on auto-pilot.

I’ve said that I don’t find decision-making that difficult. But there’s a reason for that. It’s because I try to reduce the number of decisions I have to make every day. 

Some people have to do all their homework ahead of time while others seem to trust their instincts.

For me, it all depends on the decisions.

Some decisions require no thought at all. The decision is clear. Whether you follow it or not is another issue.

For example, does it require a decision to return your cart to the cart corral? (Apparently, it does and lots of people make the wrong one if carts all over the parking lot are any indication.)

Does it require a decision to tell the truth?

Does it require a decision to be nice?

So a lot of what we encounter in our life shouldn’t need any decision at all. Hopefully, when we get mature enough we’ve put a lot of decisions on automatic. 

I thought I would share some of my own decision-making options.

Here are the decisions that are on autopilot for me:

• Making the bed
• Reading my bible
• Prayer
• Daily exercise
• Cleaning up and getting my “face” on.
• Keeping the house mostly clutter-free and usually presentable.

I should add that not any of the above is necessarily performed at their highest level every day. If I’m out-of-town, if the obligations of the day are such that I’m leaving the house the first thing in the morning, then I have to juggle some things around.

But I know “me” very well. In fact, I quit writing this post right in the middle because I had not exercised today. For some reason, I was feeling anxious. I went downstairs and got on my treadmill/elliptical for forty minutes. 

For me, I find that the fewer decisions I have to make, the better I function, so I try to keep my life and obligations fairly structured.

It’s not that I’m not spontaneous to a degree. I am. But I know that structure is always best for me. Children whose lives are chaotic and without structure never feel as safe as those for whom there are regular routines. To a child structure and routine feel “safe”. All children need to feel “safe”.

Structure equals safety for many of us. 

So the point of this post is if you want to make fewer decisions, make more decisions automatic. 

Think about your day. What are some things you are making decisions about that you could make automatic or at least make easier? Some people have their meals planned out for the week. (I wish I were one.) Other people put out their clothes the night before. 

I think it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when there are lots of decisions to be made. At least it is for me.  

This isn’t necessarily a post about simplifying our lives although certainly most of us could afford to do that and certainly reducing the number of daily decisions does simplify our day. It’s just an encouragement to think through your day to make some decisions easier. 

Hope you have a wonderful day and God bless.

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