Time is one of the most powerful decision making tools we all can use.
Many of us have made a few decisions based on our emotional state at the time. We were angry at our friend, so we tried to force them to see our pain. We felt disrespected by a coworker, and refused to help them with something that would have helped the business.
We only realize after making the decision that we weren’t emotional prepared for that responsibility.
Time Let’s Us See Clearly
Time is an emotional tool. It lets us recover from the pain we’re currently going through and return to a joyful state of mind. Time allows us to postpone our most difficult problems, because we aren’t currently capable of overcoming them. When we say we’re going to give something time, we’re saying that it’s really important to us and we want to make sure that we make a decision that supports our best interest. Time is the antidote to our momentary irrationality.
Our brain can only do so much in a short period of time. We can only look at a problem in a few different ways. Our brain can only find a few of the many different possible solutions. When we make quick decisions, our brains only get to think about the issues from the emotions and beliefs we hold at that time. We’re limiting our perspective and risking the possibility of missing out on a new and better answer.
Giving a Problem Time Might Be the Last Thing We Want to Do
We like solving problems. When there is something making our life less than optimal, we want to eliminate the issue and we want to do it as quick as possible. There are times when this can be a good thing. Some problems can be easily fixed once we start. In these cases, waiting is just giving ourselves more time to worry. Other times, however, we really do need time to make the best decision. These problems are usually those that include some emotional component. When our emotions are involved, giving ourselves time allows us to handle the situation sensitively.
My Personal Struggle With Time
Giving myself time is a problem that I struggle with sometimes. I want to solve problems quickly. When I think things aren’t as good as they could be, I don’t want to let them be. Sometimes, I rush to action and make things worse. Other times I’m able to catch myself before I do anything, only to change my mind later and make things worse.
My goal is to reach a point in life where I can let things be when they need to be. I hope to be at a point where giving time to consider and decide my next move is a natural step. Maybe I’ll be able to welcome, even celebrate, giving things time to settle before I try to fix anything. That’s the direction I hope to move toward, one step at a time.
