Effective Decision Making

MEANING OF DECISION MAKING

It refers to picking one option from among many others.

Decision making is the ability to think and come up with a solution or way forward to an issue or difficult situation. It is about making choices.

CHALLENGES FACING THE YOUTH

• Unplanned pregnancies
• Peer pressure/peer influence
• Drug abuse HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Orphaned
• Relationships
• Career choices

SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING

• Career choice –There are many careers that exist decision making will help us weigh our abilities against various careers so that we make good choices.
• Choosing to live a drug free life –It is important to not to engage in drug abuse, understand the effects of drug abuse on your health. Consequences of drug abuse on your relationships. Consequences to the law and ways of avoiding drug abuse.
• Avoiding harmful cultural practices –There are some cultural practices that are harmful making it important for us to avoid engaging in them. We are required to make a decision because there is a lot of pressure from friends and adults to participate in them.
• Dealing with peer pressure and peer influence –in making decisions to resist or accept peer pressure or influence ask yourself whether it is beneficial to you, whether it will help you achieve your goals or if it is against the values and the law, if it has negative consequences resist it if it is beneficial to accept it.
• Mass media influence –You must make a deliberate decision on which mass media content to pay attention to and which one to avoid. Weigh the content against your values and expectations avoid those that go against our expectations for example pornographic materials.
• Use of leisure time –You need decision making skills to decide on what to do to make effective use of your free time for example activities and their consequences. Available resources to carry out their activity and the benefits of these activities.
• Choice of religion –While some regions have positive teachings and healthy practices. Others have negative teachings which may be harmful; you require decision making skills to choose which religion to follow. Are the religion and its practices legal and the teaching agreeable with the values?
• Physical and emotional abuse –People in abusive environments have several choices for example suffer in silence confront the abuser, seek help or revenge. Decision making skills enables people to make appropriate decisions depending on the situation.
• Choosing a healthy lifestyle –It involves personal hygiene, eating nutritious meals, exercising, having adequate rest and avoiding activities that may harm your health.