4 Think about who's affected.
First and foremost, you should consider how your decision affects you. Specifically, how does your decision affect how you consider yourself as a person? What are your values and goals? Making decisions that are not “value-congruent” (i.e., they don’t align with the core beliefs that drive you) can leave you feeling unhappy and dissatisfied.[11][12]
For example, if a core value for you, something that is a deep part of your identity, is ambition, moving to part-time could represent a misalignment because you are no longer pursuing your ambition of getting promoted and become the top person at your company.
Your core values may sometimes conflict with one another, too. For example, you may have ambition and family-orientedness as core values. You may need to prioritize one over the other to come to a decision. Understanding what values will be affected by your decision can help you make the right one.
You should also consider how the problem or decision affects other people. Will any of the possible outcomes negatively affect people you care about? Take others into account throughout your decision making process, especially if you are married or have children.
For example, the decision to move to part-time could have a positive impact on your kids because it would mean more time with you, but it could have a negative impact on you because you may have to give up on your ambition for a promotion. It may also have a negative on your whole family by reducing your income.
5 List all of your options.
At first sight, it may appear that there is only one course of action, but that is usually not true. Even if your situation seems limited, try to make a list of alternatives. Don't try to evaluate them until you've got a full list. Be thorough. If you’re having trouble thinking of alternatives, brainstorm with some family or friends.[13]
Of course, this doesn't have to be a physical list. It can just be in your head too!
You can always cross items off the list later, but with crazy ideas might come some creative solutions that you might not have considered otherwise.
For example, you could find another full-time job at a company that does not require so much overtime. You could hire a person to help you with housework, freeing up your time to spend with your family. You could even set up a “family work” evening where everyone does their work together, in the same room, helping you all feel more connected.
Research also suggests that having too many options can lead to confusion and make it harder to make a decision.[14] Once you have generated your list, eliminate anything that is obviously impractical. Try to keep your list of options to about five items.