WEBVTT - Make a first decision

0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.680
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

0:00:09.200 --> 0:00:13.920
<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

0:00:14.680 --> 0:00:19.200
<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to make a first decision. If you're

0:00:19.239 --> 0:00:23.960
<v Speaker 1>feeling stuck ruminating on lots of interconnected choices, this one

0:00:24.040 --> 0:00:28.760
<v Speaker 1>step can help you escape from spinning your wheels. We've

0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:30.560
<v Speaker 1>all been in the position where we have lots of

0:00:30.600 --> 0:00:33.479
<v Speaker 1>decisions to make, but we can't seem to get anywhere

0:00:33.880 --> 0:00:37.040
<v Speaker 1>because the options all depend on each other. I know

0:00:37.200 --> 0:00:40.320
<v Speaker 1>so many college seniors feel this way heading into spring.

0:00:41.200 --> 0:00:44.199
<v Speaker 1>They need to make decisions about what jobs or advanced

0:00:44.240 --> 0:00:48.800
<v Speaker 1>degrees to pursue, where to live, how to navigate romantic relationships,

0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:54.000
<v Speaker 1>But much like navigating a maze, each decision is influenced

0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.960
<v Speaker 1>by the outcomes of all the others. A lot of

0:00:57.000 --> 0:01:01.440
<v Speaker 1>expectant parents feel overwhelmed by interconnected choices too. Do we

0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:03.440
<v Speaker 1>move to shorten our commute so we have more time

0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:06.480
<v Speaker 1>with the baby, but housing is more expensive closer to

0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:09.000
<v Speaker 1>our job, so then we'd wind up in a smaller place.

0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:10.320
<v Speaker 1>And then what do we do if we decide to

0:01:10.360 --> 0:01:13.560
<v Speaker 1>have a second baby and need more room. This can

0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.720
<v Speaker 1>happen on much more mundane skills too, We've all had

0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.720
<v Speaker 1>dining companions who get absorb navigating the menu to make

0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:22.679
<v Speaker 1>sure that they love their choices of appetizer, entree, and

0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:27.360
<v Speaker 1>wine and that they all fit together. Sadly, analysis paralysis

0:01:27.600 --> 0:01:31.760
<v Speaker 1>can ensue. So how do you get unstuck? Well, to

0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:34.040
<v Speaker 1>be sure, you can outline what choices you need to

0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.800
<v Speaker 1>make and gather information on factors influencing your decisions about

0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:40.960
<v Speaker 1>each you can set aside time to journal or to

0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:44.280
<v Speaker 1>talk with a sympathetic friend. If you're making the decision

0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:47.000
<v Speaker 1>with someone else, you can set aside plenty of time

0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:52.600
<v Speaker 1>for mutual reflection. But then eventually it's time to make

0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:56.760
<v Speaker 1>the first decision, and indeed, i'd suggest simply committing to

0:01:56.760 --> 0:02:01.600
<v Speaker 1>do that. Make a first decision, take one chunk of

0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:04.880
<v Speaker 1>your decision tree that you feel strongly about, go with that,

0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:09.040
<v Speaker 1>and then let the other pieces fall into place. There

0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:13.919
<v Speaker 1>are never perfect choices, but deliberating too long can cut

0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:17.480
<v Speaker 1>off choices and sometimes means decisions are made for us.

0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:21.240
<v Speaker 1>And while choosing by not choosing can be a choice,

0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:24.280
<v Speaker 1>you want to make sure you're making that choice on purpose.

0:02:25.320 --> 0:02:28.160
<v Speaker 1>So maybe our college senior prioritizes going to the top

0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:31.400
<v Speaker 1>law school she gets into she decides she'll figure out

0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.400
<v Speaker 1>her housing situation and whether to attempt a long distance

0:02:34.440 --> 0:02:39.520
<v Speaker 1>relationship after that. Maybe a family navigating a dual job

0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:42.960
<v Speaker 1>search decides that once one partner gets a great job offer,

0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:45.640
<v Speaker 1>they'll put their house on the market, and the other

0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:48.760
<v Speaker 1>partner will start looking for jobs only in the area

0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:52.520
<v Speaker 1>where the first partner got their offer. Your dinner companion

0:02:52.560 --> 0:02:55.160
<v Speaker 1>could decide that he knows he'll enjoy the salmon, and

0:02:55.200 --> 0:02:59.200
<v Speaker 1>he builds the rest of his menu around that. Oftentimes,

0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:02.400
<v Speaker 1>once we've made that first decision, other decisions seem a

0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:07.880
<v Speaker 1>lot easier, and this saves time and energy. I'm certainly

0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:11.520
<v Speaker 1>trying to remind myself of this upside. Long time listeners

0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:14.760
<v Speaker 1>may remember the whole saga of my housing situation as

0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:16.600
<v Speaker 1>I try to figure out the best option for my

0:03:16.680 --> 0:03:20.600
<v Speaker 1>growing family. We welcomed our fifth child in late December,

0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.360
<v Speaker 1>and while the little guy is small now, he won't

0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:26.200
<v Speaker 1>be small forever, and so we've been weighing our options.

0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:30.280
<v Speaker 1>We've considered moving to a new house, finishing the basement

0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:32.360
<v Speaker 1>or the attic in our current house to add bedrooms,

0:03:32.840 --> 0:03:35.640
<v Speaker 1>or just squeezing kids into existing bedrooms and kicking the

0:03:35.720 --> 0:03:39.000
<v Speaker 1>question down the road, We went to several open houses

0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:43.720
<v Speaker 1>and spent some time imagining different scenarios. Each option seemed

0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:45.720
<v Speaker 1>to bring with it a host of new questions related

0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:49.320
<v Speaker 1>to cost, timing, and logistics. If we renovate, can we

0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:51.840
<v Speaker 1>live with the hassle of a renovation plus the newborn?

0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:54.600
<v Speaker 1>If we buy a bigger house, it would require some

0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:56.720
<v Speaker 1>fixing too, and so we'd probably keep living in our

0:03:56.720 --> 0:03:59.200
<v Speaker 1>current one for a while. But how long would we

0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:02.040
<v Speaker 1>be willing to be at two house family? When would

0:04:02.080 --> 0:04:03.920
<v Speaker 1>we need to put our existing house on the market.

0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:09.040
<v Speaker 1>Should we meet with builders about doing a new construction project? Eventually, though,

0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:11.920
<v Speaker 1>we just made a first decision, we decided to have

0:04:12.000 --> 0:04:15.360
<v Speaker 1>plans drawn up for renovating our current house. With plans

0:04:15.360 --> 0:04:17.279
<v Speaker 1>in hand, we can decide whether or not that's the

0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:21.000
<v Speaker 1>way to go. In the meantime, the kids are sharing rooms.

0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:24.960
<v Speaker 1>With the first decision made, there's a reasonable amount of peace,

0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:28.120
<v Speaker 1>well as much peace as there can be in a

0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:32.400
<v Speaker 1>household with five children, including a newborn. Have you experienced

0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:36.480
<v Speaker 1>analysis paralysis when faced with lots of interconnected decisions? How

0:04:36.480 --> 0:04:39.320
<v Speaker 1>did you get unstuck? You can let me know at

0:04:39.360 --> 0:04:43.760
<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart Media Dot com in the meantime.

0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:47.720
<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making

0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:56.719
<v Speaker 1>the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to

0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:59.719
<v Speaker 1>hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,

0:04:59.839 --> 0:05:03.600
<v Speaker 1>or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook

0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:09.160
<v Speaker 1>and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. That's B the number four,

0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:13.200
<v Speaker 1>then Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me

0:05:13.240 --> 0:05:16.880
<v Speaker 1>an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media

0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:19.600
<v Speaker 1>dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all

0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:22.440
<v Speaker 1>the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying

0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:31.120
<v Speaker 1>in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio.

0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:34.599
<v Speaker 1>For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the I

0:05:34.720 --> 0:05:38.200
<v Speaker 1>heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:39.080
<v Speaker 1>your favorite shows.