How to Make Hard Decisions Easier as a Solopreneur
Have you ever made a decision in your solopreneur journey that left you feeling anxious? That decision could be investing in an expensive tool or cutting ties with a difficult client. Whatever that is, you know that you're going to have to deal with its consequences. So how do you make those hard choices easier? Here are some ideas that help:
Set a mental timer in your head.
Many business owners believe that they should sleep on a decision. While it's popular advice, it's not always the best. The reason it can be bad is that it can lead to overthinking. To avoid delaying the decision, set a timer in your head. That could be as short as 5 hours or as long as 12 hours. This should give you enough time to go over the details or consult an expert.
Imagine that it's another solopreneur business.
Take yourself out of the equation by imagining that you're giving advice to a solopreneur friend. If your friend were to make a decision that would benefit him or her, what piece of advice would that be? It's easier to decide you're not in the picture.
Ask yourself how the decision will make you feel later.
Wrong decisions can often feel off later on because these decisions don't align with your personal values. For instance, you might be thinking of letting someone from your team go due to a project that has gone wrong. But at the same time, there's something inside of you that's telling you to give the person another chance. Remember that any decision you make isn't just about eliminating the problem of the moment, but it's also about how you want to feel in the future.
Get some fresh air.
Open your office window or take a walk outside in nature. A breath of fresh air will lower your anxiety and help you think more clearly. It also energizes you when you feel too depleted. You don't want to make an important decision under intense stress. Stress keeps you from making smart choices.
Pay attention to your hopes.
When you ask advice from someone or toss a coin, what outcome does your heart secretly hope for? Something that resonates with you may not be the one that your mind thinks is practical at the moment. Listening to your hopes can be the secret to making choices that give you lasting happiness and less regret.
Conclusion
A solopreneur's life may full of choices, but these choices don't have to consume your time, energy, and resources - and be choices that create stress. Decisiveness takes practice, and hopefully the things we discussed today help!