Wednesday, July 7, 2010

decision making

I hate making decisions. As much as I make it a rule not to regret the choices I make, I loath the process of deciding in the first place. However, I realized tonight that I have a very clear, and very analytic, pattern for making decisions. This realization came through the weekly process of making shabbos plans. It doesn't matter how small or large the decision is, the process is pretty much always the same. My pattern goes like this:

1) identify the problem (shit! it's already wednesday night and I don't have shabbos plans yet!)

2) data collection (what minyans are meeting this weekend? where are options for meals? what are other people doing? what combination can i make from my options? what are the logistical needs of each possible combination?)

3) contemplation (how exhausted am i from the week? what does my following week look like? do i feel the need to hide and sleep this shabbos or would i rather it to be very social? do i have an academic obligations that I need to negotiate?)

4) more data collection (filling in gaps of information, seeking out necessary parts to fill in the plan such as finding a place to crash a meal)

5) more contemplation (with a complete idea of what the option is, is it one that i am okay with? would I rather something else? is that something else even possible?)

6) procrastination (after all, it is only wednesday night... i really don't need to decided until thursday night or possibly even friday morning. plus if i wait long enough, maybe someone will make the decision for me)

1 comment:

Vardit said...

R & I will be at TBS on Friday night. If all other plans fall through, see you there?