Willpower is a form of energy in the brain. It’s like a muscle that can be strengthened with use, but it also gets fatigued with use. We only have a finite amount of willpower and we should be careful to conserve it and try to save it for emergencies. So, the most important decisions should be made in the morning, before we experience “ego depletion”. As the day wears on, our energy reserves are further depleted. Once we are mentally depleted, we are more likely to make trade-offs which usually result in bad decisions.

Gathering relevant information is key to approaching the decision making process, but it is important to identify honestly how much background information is truly required. As per Corporate Wellness Magazine, “An overload of information can leave you confused and misguided, and prevents you from following your intuition,” Contrarily, relying on one single source of information can lead to bias and misinformation, which can have disastrous effects down the line. Decision making is a vital skill in our everyday lives. Following a logical procedure, along with being aware of common challenges, can help ensure both thoughtful decision making and positive results. Primarily, there are seven key steps in the decision making process.

• Identifying the decision
• Gathering information
• Identifying alternatives
• Weighing evidence
• Choosing among alternatives
• Taking action and
• Reviewing your decision