I’m a teacher, and I’m really stuck on a decision about my job next year. Do I take on more work, but in the subject area I love…or do I reduce my course load and teach subjects I don’t like as much? Any strategies you can share with me about making that decision?
Making a decision can be so difficult, can’t it?! Different parts of us want different things, and the other people in our life often have opinions too. It’s hard to balance all the competing priorities, the pros and cons, and all the gaming it out. Here’s a decision making strategy that can help.
Often, we weigh a decision with YES/BUT…
- YES I want to teach AP History BUT I’m worried I won’t have the bandwidth for the extra prep
- YES I want to reduce my course load BUT I feel guilty for abandoning my passion
YES/BUT tends to frame our wants negatively, pairing the YES with something that would go wrong (fear) or pairing it with something that undermines the wants (shame).
Instead, we can try YES/AND…
- YES I want to teach AP History AND it would require extra time away from my family
- YES I want to reduce my course load AND reducing my prep time gives me more energy to give to family
YES/AND tends to frame our wants helpfully, pairing the YES with something it would require (boundary) or pairing it with something that it would result in (benefit).
Considering a decision both ways gives us a fuller picture of what we’re choosing (and what we’re not choosing, by contrast).
Having a difficult time making an important decision? Coaching is a short-term, positive approach to proactive problem solving. Contact Dr. Emily Racic today to learn more!
This post was written by Dr. Emily Racic, an experienced life coach and career coach at Capital Crescent Collective in Bethesda, MD. Emily offers coaching in person in Bethesda and virtual worldwide.