What do you do if your decision-making skills decline in late career and retirement?

Navigating a shift in decision-making abilities can be a challenging aspect of late career or retirement. Emotional intelligence, the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically, plays a pivotal role in this transition. If you find your decision-making skills waning, it's important to understand that it's a natural part of aging and there are strategies to manage this change effectively.

1 Recognize Change

Acknowledging changes in your decision-making skills is the first step towards adapting to them. You may notice that decisions take longer to make, or that you're less confident in the choices you do make. This is a common occurrence as cognitive functions can slow down with age. However, it's important to differentiate between normal changes and those that might be symptoms of a more serious issue like dementia. If you're concerned, seek a professional evaluation. Meanwhile, practice patience with yourself and remember that it's okay to take your time.

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Central Coaching® México

Certificación Coaching Ontológico. Country Leader Points of You® México. Especialista DISC, PCC (Professional Certified Coach por ICF), Consultoría Organizacional. Filosofía Aplicada a Liderazgo y Desarrollo de Equipos
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Es una etapa para cosechar lo trabajado, enfocarse en uno mismo desde un lugar de compasión, de gratitud, de disfrute. También puede ser momento de hacer cosas nuevas, adoptar un estilo de vida más holgado y ofrecer tus conocimientos y experiencias en asesorías.

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2 Seek Support

As you notice changes in your decision-making abilities, don't hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or professionals. They can provide valuable perspectives that might help you see things differently or confirm your thoughts. Emotional intelligence involves recognizing when to ask for help and being open to the support offered by others. This can also include joining groups or workshops that focus on developing skills pertinent to decision-making in later life.

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3 Simplify Choices

When decision-making becomes more challenging, simplifying your choices can make a big difference. Break down complex decisions into smaller, more manageable parts. This could involve outlining the pros and cons of each option or setting clear criteria for what you want the outcome to be. By reducing the complexity of decisions, you'll likely find it easier to come to a conclusion without feeling overwhelmed.

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4 Trust Experience

Your wealth of experience is a valuable asset when it comes to making decisions. Trust in the knowledge and skills you've accumulated over your career. Reflect on past successes and consider how those strategies can be applied to current situations. Emotional intelligence involves using your past experiences to inform your present and future choices, so give yourself credit for the expertise you've developed.

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5 Stay Informed

Keeping your mind active and staying informed about new developments in your field or interests can help maintain your decision-making skills. Engage in continuous learning, whether through reading, taking courses, or other educational activities. This not only helps keep your brain sharp but also provides a broader perspective when facing decisions. Emotional intelligence includes being aware of one's own limitations and working to expand one's knowledge base.

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6 Adapt Strategies

Finally, be willing to adapt your decision-making strategies as needed. What worked well in the past may not be as effective now, and that's perfectly normal. Consider new approaches, such as relying more on intuition or developing structured decision-making processes. Emotional intelligence is about being flexible and adjusting your approach to fit your current capabilities and the situation at hand.

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Luke Orr

Assistant @ Cell Tech Inc. | Spreadsheet Guru
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A tactic helping me adapt to change and retain decision-making abilities: - Look at your past experiences - Define common systems, solutions, and mindsets for solving problems - Break down your current problem or system into first principles (the most fundamental steps. How does this work on a basic level) - Apply previous fundamental strategies to current problems at a base-level, solving from the ground up, and preventing potential decision fatigue on micro outcomes.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Nuzhath Ayaz

Organizational Change and Positive Culture Catalyst I Leadership Enhancement I Management and Communications Expert
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At any point in life if there is a decline in decision making ability here are three approaches to use 1. Meditation and mindfulness: Practices of focus increase our ability to stay alert and take the right actions. 2. Value Alignment: Ask if the decision you are making aligns to your values? 3. Take a 360 view of the decision. How does this decision impact my ecosystem? Does it take us closer or away from our vision and goals? I feel there is no connection between age and decision making skills. On the contrary I feel leaders gain wisdom and become more adept in decision making as they grow older. We need to defy the bias that people's abilities decline as they grow older.

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Dr. Marissa Pei
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The implied implication that age negatively impacts one's decision making abilities, and/or intelligence is missing the rich priceless benefit of having a long-term employee who has incredible experience longevity. The lack of respect and value for those who have aged gracefully costs us both professionally, and personally. Wise is the company that doesn't dismiss those who have been with the company for a long time as the ones that don't like change and are too expensive to keep on board.

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What do you do if your decision-making skills decline in late career and retirement?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Recognize Change

2 Seek Support

3 Simplify Choices

4 Trust Experience

5 Stay Informed

6 Adapt Strategies

7 Here’s what else to consider

Emotional Intelligence

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What do you do if your decision-making skills decline in late career and retirement?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Recognize Change

2 Seek Support

3 Simplify Choices

4 Trust Experience

5 Stay Informed

6 Adapt Strategies

7 Here’s what else to consider

Emotional Intelligence

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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