Have an important decision to make? Maybe you should H.A.L.T. before making it.

Even my puppy struggles with decision making.

Do I want the ball or the bone right now? Do I want to cuddle with the human or act aloof and lay on my bed and stare at her? Should I try to convince her that I need to go outside even though we were just out there?

He makes a lot of decisions each day, but the worst time he — or I — or anyone should make decisions is when we need a H.A.L.T.

H.A.L.T. is an acronym that reminds us not to make big or stressful decisions when we’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Aside from decision making, H.A.L.T. is useful to remember anytime we might feel stressed. When we feel stressed, taking a moment to figure out what lies at the core of the stressful feeling or feelings can help us relieve and untangle those feelings.

Oftentimes, relieving the stress may involve relieving one of these feelings. Here are some ideas for each of those areas:

• Hungry — grab a healthy snack like a piece of fruit or some nut butter.
• Angry — take a walk or vent your frustrations into a journal.
• Lonely — phone a friend. I also find that if I can take a walk this also makes loneliness abate when I feel the bigger world around me.
• Tired — take a nap. Even 20 minutes can make you feel refreshed.

I’d love to know what your best tricks are when you’re feeling one of these stressors. Drop a reply or comment and let me know what your go to is when you’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

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