Don’t make important decisions when you’re Sad, Hungry, Angry, or Tired. Emotion is a weakness in decision making.
The Rule of S.H.A.T
Using this trick is probably the closest you will ever come to dodging actual bullets.
Even if it’s something “small” like sending that text, replying to that email right away, submitting that online order, having that important conversation, or any other action that has some permanence to it. if you’re feeling HASH, don’t do it right now. Just hit snooze and revisit it later with a clear head. Odds are you’ll find a better option that you didn’t see the first time, and you’ll avoid potentially shooting yourself in the foot.
“Give it five minutes. Even when I’m still sad, a five minute pause results in a better decision.” by Daniel Kahneman
The hardest part of this is that once you’re gripped by one of these emotions it can feel like a really good idea to act RIGHT NOW, especially if you don’t realize you’re in a state and believe that you are thinking clearly. Pulling that trigger is going to feel satisfying for all of two minutes, until your head clears and you realize you were being an a** and now you’re saddled with the consequences of whatever rash decision you just made.
Just hit snooze and come back later. The odds that the situation actually needs immediate, drastic action are very low.
The more you follow the role of SHAT in your everyday life, the more aware you become of all the situations where you definitely would have self-sabotaged had you acted when the impulse first hit you.
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