Step 6: Evaluate and Revise Once you have acted on your decision for a certain amount of time, evaluate your decision’s effectiveness. An effective alternative is one that solves the problem or resolves the decision you identified in the first step of the decision-making process. When evaluating a decision, consider the factors in Figure 2.3. All of these factors influence whether a decision is right and effective for you. For example, if your friends had to remind you every night to turn off your app notifications and stop messaging them, a different alternative might better help you get enough sleep. Maybe, instead, you want to try turning off your phone and placing it across the room before you go to bed. If you determine that a decision did not solve your problem, repeat the decision-making process and revise as necessary. Maybe the real problem was not what you thought or you have another alternative. Keep revising until you find the right decision for you. Collaborative Decision-Making When you make a decision, try seeking advice from a parent, guardian, trusted adult, or trusted peer. Hearing someone else’s perspective might show you a new alternative or change how you think about a problem. In some cases, people use collaborative decision-making to make decisions together (Figure 2.4). Multiple people might have roles in carrying out the decision and need to know and perform these roles. For example, if you want to change your curfew, talk with your parents or guardians about making the decision. You might make a decision about where to meet over the weekend with several friends. On the other hand, some decisions, like decisions about your personal boundaries, belong only to you. collaborative decision-making process of working with others to make a decision Factors to Consider When Evaluating a Decision Obstacles you faced in acting on the decision What, if any, support you needed to commit to the decision Whether the decision solved or just helped with the problem Figure 2.3 A decision might not be the right fit for your situation if it has too many obstacles, needs too much outside support, does not effectively solve your problem, or if you cannot commit to the decision long term. Whether you can commit to the decision for a longer time Best Practices for Collaborative Decision-Making ● ● Decide carefully on who is involved. Include only people who need to weigh in or who can provide relevant ideas. ● ●● Consider choosing someone to keep the group on track. ● Make sure all relevant information and opinions are discussed before selecting an alternative. ● ● Make sure all members advocate for their own perspectives, but ultimately agree to make the decision that is best for the whole group. ● ● Determine how the decision will be made. Does everyone need to agree, or will one person decide? ● ● When you make your decision, schedule a follow-up meeting to evaluate the decision. Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com Figure 2.4 Decision-making becomes more difficult with more voices, more ideas, and more perspectives. Following some basic guidelines can help keep you on track for making an effective decision. What should you do if your decision was not right for you? Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 38 Unit 1 Promoting a Lifetime of Health and Wellness