#168: Decisions, decisions, decisions
Making decisions has really affected my productivity over the past few weeks. I start my day with several things that I want to get done. Often, just the act of deciding which one should I do first seems to get me stuck.
It happens when I write too. Should I kill that character now or in chapter 22? I can spend months racking my brains over this, considering every possible way that my decision will affect the story. But I will never be 100% sure until I write the thing and see how it works.
Sometimes, the deciding takes so long that I could’ve finished the thing in the meantime. It annoys me so much.
Decisions are tough. They take a lot of mental energy. Even to make the most mundane decision, you have to build this mental model of the likely consequences. You will also have to live with it if the decision turns out to be the wrong one.
The natural remedy would seem to be to get better at making decisions, and you certainly can do that. Learn different strategies and whatnot. However, this won’t make the process of making decisions any less draining. On the contrary, applying all sorts of tools will take more of your time and energy away from the main task.
The real solution to this is to figure out a way to make fewer decisions.
We take strange comfort in decisions that are made for us. We do it all the time. Whether it’s because we don’t care enough or because we don’t have the time. The radio or TV is a perfect example. These days, everyone has the power to create a custom playlist of things to listen and watch. Lots of people choose to give that power away and watch TV instead where the programming is decided for them. You trust the station to show something interesting. Instead of looking for new music releases, you trust your favourite radio station to curate them for you.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, applying the same principle to the decisions that you’ve made in the past is how you can make fewer decisions every day.
Planning, systems and habits
Every time a decision comes up during the day, you should be ready. Ideally, you’d have decided in advance. When removed from the immediate situation, you will make much better choices.
That’s where planning, setting up systems and developing habits comes in. You can’t prepare for everything, but when you really think about it, the majority of stuff that comes up is something that you have to deal with over and over again.
Here are some examples to illustrate what I mean.
Schedule your writing in advance.
Outline the major plot points in your story.
Set up a weekly planning session.
Set up a monthly review session.
When planning, you still have to make a decision. The difference is that you can make it at your own pace. You’re more likely to act out of consideration rather than on impulse.
Have a few writing exercises that you do when you get stuck.
Create accountability for yourself.
Set up constraints (e.g., if this takes longer than X, flip a coin and carry on).
Ask trusted friends for advice.
Hire an editor/coach to help you.
Systems or frameworks are a great way of implementing repeated decisions. It’s basically a set of steps that you follow every time you run into a given problem. Instead of flailing around, trying to figure things out on the fly, you simply follow a playbook that you prepared earlier.
Write at least 50 words every day.
Think about what you’re going to write tomorrow before bed.
Your morning/evening routine.
Listen to the same playlist when writing.
Habits are a way of internalising your decisions to a point where you no longer have to think about them — like brushing your teeth. You don’t wake up every morning and consider the pros and cons of brushing your teeth or whether you should do it before or after breakfast. You just do it.
Most of the decisions that we make day after day are way less important than they seem. Nobody’s going to die if it turns out that you should’ve made your characters kiss three chapters earlier. When you’re stuck, err on the side of action. Worst-case scenario, you’ll have to go back and start over.
Little, everyday decisions don’t seem like a problem. But they compound in a pretty significant way over time. Is there a decision that you find yourself doing over and over again? Set up a system or a habit to take care of it.
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#167: Social Media for Writers, November 2020
#166: The Right Time to Write, October 2020
#165: The Tip of the Iceberg, October 2020
#164: Moving on to the Next Thing, October 2020
#163: Making Space for Writing, October 2020
