5 simple tips that could help you make better decisions

October 19, 2023

When you’re facing big life decisions, it can be difficult to know which choice to take. Read on to learn some simple tips that could improve your decision-making. 

According to Eva Krockow, a lecturer at the University of Leicester, the average person makes a staggering 35,000 decisions every day.

Of course, many of these decisions will be unconscious. You probably give little thought to how quickly to walk when you’re heading to the shop or whether to smile at a stranger you meet on the way.

A lot of the decisions you make you will do on autopilot rather than deliberating the different options. Even those that you make consciously, many will be relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things. 

Yet, everyone will face decisions that they need to carefully weigh up and could have a long-lasting effect on their life. You might be deciding whether you should take a new job offer, or if you should invest a lump sum you’ve received rather than place it in a cash account.

At these times, you might worry about making the wrong choice. So, here are five simple tips that could help you. 

1. Imagine yourself in the future

If you find yourself unable to make a decision or you keep changing your mind, visualising yourself in the future can be effective.

Go through each of your options and consider how the choice would affect your life in one or five years. It can be valuable for a few key reasons.

First, it can identify the decisions that aren’t going to have a long-term effect on your life that you might be needlessly worrying about.

Second, it could help you get away from the immediate results of your decisions and focus on the bigger picture. You might find that when the long-term outcomes are weighed up, your decision is more straightforward than you initially thought.  

2. Write down your goals

Your goals should be at the centre of your decisions. So, being clear about what you want to achieve can give you a sense of direction and something to balance “good” or “bad” decisions against. 

Writing down your aspirations might be useful when you’re defining what’s important to you. It also provides you with something to refer back to when you’re making a decision. 

3. Set yourself a deadline

Timing is important when you’re making a decision, so give yourself a deadline.

On the one hand, you don’t want to be pushed into making potentially life-changing decisions quickly. You might benefit from taking a step away to gain some perspective or to allow yourself to think through the options carefully.

On the other hand, it can be all too easy to procrastinate and put off important decisions when you’re struggling.

Giving yourself a deadline can help you make decisions in a timely manner.

4. Figure out what you don’t know

For some decisions, you might benefit from extra information. So, figuring out what you don’t know is an important skill that could improve the outcomes.

Noting down what you need to find out could help direct your research. In some cases, a quick search online will yield the answers you want and help you make an informed decision. 

Don’t be afraid to seek help either. Sometimes speaking to a professional could be right for you. For instance, if you’re deciding which mortgage suits your needs, a mortgage broker might be able to explain the different options to you. 

5. Learn from your mistakes

Finally, use your mistakes to your advantage.

Everyone makes errors, and there will be times when you look back with the benefit of hindsight and wish you’d done some things differently. While you might regret some of the decisions you’ve made, learn from them to improve in the future.

Ask yourself what led to you making the “wrong” decision. You might have been led by other people or maybe you simply didn’t have the experience you do today.

Understanding what led to certain decisions can help improve your judgement and allow you to create a process that works for you. 

What our clients say

The people we help are at the heart of what we do. Here are some of their testimonials.

I would highly recommend Darius and John. I’ve used a financial adviser previously and could never get in contact with them when I needed their help. Stratton Wealth Management have been excellent from the start. They are always available to talk, and they also don’t talk in financial jargon!

Dave Rigby -

A client since 2015

Having recently transferred my financial management to Stratton Wealth Management, I have been extremely impressed with the highly professional service I have received. I feel I have been fully involved in all decision making, and the company's highly skilled advisers have shown commitment and patience in any dealings I have had with them. I have also always found them to be easily accessible for any discussion I may require.

Denise Thornton -

A client since 2019

As a business owner and father of four children, finances are usually the last thing we think about. Stratton oversees and manages our finances, both in terms of advice for my business and our personal investments. It is comforting to know that our retirement, investment and life insurance planning has been taken care of. Darius and John are always so efficient in dealing with our affairs. As someone with no real understanding of the ins and outs, it has been fantastic to have experts giving us great advice and making sure our best interests are always the top priority.

Lee and Claire Parkinson -

Clients since 2016

Darius deals with my family’s finances and is a very trusted adviser. We meet a number of times a year, but I know I can call him any time if I have any questions. He is proactive, helpful and friendly!

Jonathan Dennis -

A client since 2019

I knew I needed to begin saving and planning for the future but didn’t know where to start. Stratton helped me to understand my finances and put together a savings plan that is affordable and works for me. I now have and an ISA and a pension, and whilst retirement is many years away, I have the peace of mind that I am saving for my future. I look forward to working with them for many years to come.

Martin Corrigan -

A client since 2016

I have been impressed with the advice and service provided by Stratton Wealth Management and have always found Darius to be approachable, dependable and highly professional in his approach. It is reassuring to be able to have such a high level of confidence and trust when it comes to financial advice.

Russell Jones -

A client since 2018

Many thanks indeed for your in depth report for my client Mrs H – it is most thorough and above all readable. This might sound particularly strange; however you may well gather that in my profession we see many such reports, and I often feel that if the adviser fills it with charts and graphs it evidences a level of research. In truth most of what is produced is readily obtainable from the internet.

I would like to thank you (and your organisation) for your prompt and professional attention to my requirements on behalf of my client. As a practice we shall definitely be putting Stratton Wealth Management on our “preferred supplier list".

Colin Dunstall, Donaldson Dunstall Solicitors -

A client since 2015