Try taking a deep breath. Inhale through your nose, counting to five. Hold your breath for six seconds, then exhale through your mouth as you count to seven. Repeat this exercise ten times, or until you feel calm and relaxed. [8] X Research source If you are feeling stressed, you are more likely to make mental errors while trying to make a decision. [9] X Research source [10] X Expert Source Karuna Jain, MSLife Coach & Energy Healer Expert Interview. 23 November 2021. Maybe your friend is really angry with you. You might feel sad, confused, and defensive, and these emotions might make you say something you will regret or react in a negative way. Calming yourself will help you interact with your friend in a prudent manner.
If you have time, try listing the positive and negatives associated with each of your possible choices. You may not always have time to go on fact-finding missions before making a decision; sometimes you need to decide in the moment. Still, it’s important to take the information you do have and try to make the best decision you can based on that.
Try to choose a course of action that feels right, is in line with your values and character, is logical and likely to succeed. [17] X Research source Implement your decision. Once you’ve made your decision, you need to take action. Make a plan that includes who does what, where, when, why, and how. Be flexible if things don’t go exactly according to plan. As you put your plan into practice, make sure you take note of whether or not things are working — if things aren’t going well, try to figure out why, and make the necessary changes. [18] X Research source
For example, maybe your siblings are having a disagreement about who should wash the dishes after dinner. Exercise prudence by suggesting that it would only be fair for the person who washed the dishes the night before to be given the night off and given the option of not doing the dishes that night. You can also use prudence to prevent more serious disputes, like a conflict involving money between family members. You may advise your family members to save all their receipts and keep a clear, up to date record on how money is being spent by each family member in the household. This can help to prevent arguments about money and spending down the road.
Being prudent with your finances will help you to prevent overspending every month and ensure you are aware of where your money is going every month. This will then allow you to make solid judgement calls about how to best use your income to cover your household expenses and manage your money.
To help you be prudent with credit card payments, you may consider consolidating your debts so they are all on one card or with one credit card company, rather than spread out among several cards with different interest rates. Consolidate your debt under the card with the lowest interest rates and the lowest transfer fees so you have lower monthly payments and can pay off the debt faster. You should also try to settle any outstanding debts you may have, such as money owed to family and friends or to other financiers. Rather than try to write off your debts through a write off company, which is often not successful, you should set up a monthly payment system to help pay off your debts over a set period of time. Arrange realistic monthly payments based on your income and take into account any added interest on your payments.
You should factor in the amount of savings money you will be placing in your savings account based on your monthly income and your monthly expenses. Try to save about 10% of your annual income, especially if you make a decent salary and do not have high monthly expenses.
You can also do this in larger ways by encouraging your co-workers to follow waste reduction practices and to use office supplies in an efficient way. Send out an email reminding everyone to always recycle their scrap paper and only print in color when necessary to conserve ink. You should also suggest cutting down on the use of paper plates and napkins at company events and make sure there are recycling bins throughout the office.
This could be unplugging all office computers at the end of the day, as well as making sure all electronics are set to energy saving mode during work hours. Or, you could suggest swapping out paper plates in the office break room for reusable plates and utensils. Focus on making daily tasks in the office more energy saving so it becomes a habit for everyone in the office.
For example, you may develop action items such as switching the office to green energy by the next fiscal year, or instituting a recycling policy in the office in the next two months. Be specific about the goals of the committee and try to include co-workers from every department or area in the company so the needs of each department are well represented.
For example, you may get into an argument with another coworker about how to best respond to a client email. You may then consider how you can actively listen to your coworker to reach a compromise and avoid a serious conflict. This will allow you to respond to a potential conflict with prudence and efficiency.
You may decide to start your own action group if your school or university does not have an action group on a topic you are passionate about or interested in. Talk to your school counselor or the leader of student life at your university to find out how to start your own action group.
You can also create a daily schedule or to-do list of your academic commitments and your social plans to ensure you have set aside enough time for each task. Complete your homework and assignments before you socialize with friends so you can enjoy yourself without stressing out about a deadline. This will show you can act with prudence and good judgement.
Because energy saving on a campus wide or school wide level can be overwhelming, you may want to focus on small adjustments to daily tasks first and then tackle larger energy issues in the future. For example, you may suggest that all computer labs set the computers to energy saving mode and unplug all computers once the school is closed for the day. You may also encourage recycling bins next to every garbage can on campus and the use of compostable items on field trips or for large events.
You should also act prudently when you are trying to settle a dispute between you and a friend or a peer at at school. Rather than try to place blame or ignore the opinions of others, listen to the person’s thoughts in a respectful way and try to have a respectful conversation about the issue.
