🏃🏻‍♂️‍➡️ Faster ways to make hard decisions

Plus: A writer's decision to take a break from sex 💝

View this email online This newsletter is brought to you by Life Kit digital editor Malaka Gharib Nell Wulfhart helps people make tough choices. As a decision coach, her clients come to her when they’re stuck on big questions: Should I take that job? Move across the country? Have a baby?  Wulfhart says people often take too long deliberating because they’re afraid of making the wrong choice. But in her experience, “people regret the time they have lost deciding so much more than the occasional decision they made too hastily.”  Here are some of Wulfhart’s tips to make confident decisions and minimize uncertainty.  I need help deciding girafchik123/Getty Images Faster ways to make hard decisions 📋 Make a list of your priorities. Then, when you're making a decision, see which one of your options checks more boxes on that list. If living close to your parents as they age is important to you, maybe rethink the job offer across the country.  ✅ Accept that regret is part of life. "Everyone is trying so hard to avoid that uncomfortable feeling," Wulfhart says. But that fear will keep you in limbo, she says.  🖥️ Gather research before you decide. Want to go to nursing school or adopt a dog? Ask a nurse about their job and day-to-day duties. Take your friend’s dog on a walk or foster a puppy first.  “The way we make good decisions is not by sitting at home and wondering if we're going to like something,” Wulfhart says. When we gather information, “we have actual, tangible data that tells us whether or not we like something.” 💬 Don’t seek out too much advice. By the time her clients come to her, Wulfhart says they’ve often talked to 10 or 20 people about their decision. This much competing input can be overwhelming and confusing. “When making a big decision, talk to three to five people and that's it,” she says.    I’m ready to decide Newsletter continues after sponsor message More decision-making tips from Life Kit  Beck Harlan/NPR 5 simple questions to ask yourself if you're feeling stuck in life. Not sure whether to move to a new city? Switch to a different career? Start volunteering? Experts share exercises to help you gain clarity and get unstuck. Grab a pen and paper, you’ll need it! Read the story.  How to be more decisive about everyday decisions. We’re faced with tons of tiny decisions every day, like which toilet paper to buy or what to eat for breakfast. So it’s easy to feel indecisive, even about the smallest of choices. Use these expert tips to sharpen your decision-making skills. Yes, sometimes flipping a coin is OK. Read the story.  Too many goals and too little time? How to focus your attention. Time is precious and we never seem to have enough of it. We have to work, feed ourselves, clean our homes, take care of kids or family members, catch up with friends, sleep ... and on top of that, there are endless hobbies or pursuits we'd want to do if only we had more hours in the week. Is it any wonder we feel like we're constantly scrambling? Tips on how we can be intentional about our attention. Read the story. Video: What’s a high-yield savings account? If your cash is in a traditional savings account, it's probably earning very little interest. According to a recent Bankrate survey, the average savings account has an interest rate of 0.6%. Whereas many high-yield savings accounts offer over 4% interest.⁠  Watch our video on high-yield savings accounts to learn more about how to make your savings go further (and follow us on Instagram for more tips).    Watch the video In case you missed it Sol Cotti for NPR Her love life was in chaos. The solution? Giving up sex. After a bad breakup, writer Melissa Febos decided to abstain from sex and dating for a year. She didn't realize how much it would change her life. She tells her story in a new book, The Dry Season. Read the story.  4 confidence-boosting ways to overcome the fear of flirting in real life. Does talking to a cute stranger make your palms sweat? Confidence coach Regina Bonds offers advice on to how to put yourself out there, including how to show interest without coming off as creepy. Read the story.  Why it's so hard to accept compliments. Receiving praise can feel good. But it can also feel uncomfortable. Should you say something nice back? Brush it off? Make a self-deprecating comment? Many of us were never taught how to accept compliments, but there's science to back up the benefits of receiving and giving kudos. Listen to the episode.  Should I buy it? A framework to help you decide. Sometimes we buy things that we later regret spending on: A new sweater that's already falling apart, or a thrifted "vintage" vase that turns out to be a mass-produced dupe. In the moment, it's difficult to resist the temptation of making a purchase. But with a few pointed questions, you can make sure you've done your due diligence and buy something guilt-free. Listen to the episode. Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy