THE use it one’s common sense in decision helps a great deal. Some people will say common sense is not common, but what really is common sense.
According to Wikipedia, “common sense is a basic ability to perceive, understand and judge things which is shared by (“common to”) nearly all people, and can be reasonably expected of nearly all people without any need for debae.”
According to G. Gold ratt and J: Cox, in the Goal” the best thing I have come up with so far is to recognize that we refer to something as common sense only if it is in line with our own intuition. It only means that when we recognize something as common sense, it must be that, at least intuitively, we know it all along.”
Looking at both definitions together common sense is closely related to perception, basic understanding, judgement and intuition, you have learn from past experience (“experience is the best teacher”) and as a result your brain cells generate dopamine to tell you either “this is just normal or common” or “mmmn – that looks strange.”  This phenomenon is completely natural. Karl Albrecht simply calls common sense “practical intelligence.” Karl sees it as “the mental ability to cope with the challenges and opportunities of life.
Making decision often seems as a difficult task, some people even let others decide for them, cause most people are scared of making their own choice or judgement. Am not saying one cannot ask questions on the decision to make, like they say those who ask questions never miss their way, but the choice should be yours.
Everyday we make decisions. We decide on the time to wake up, the cloth to put on, the food to eat, the places we go etc.
Do you remember to use common sense when making decision? The proper use of common sense can actually prevent one from making bad or wrong decisions, so one can make right, clear or good decision.
Deciding on anything without enough though is a haste decision, it may lead to regret (the usual “had I know”). Decision making process should be step by step and gradual, not an extremely slow one but it should not be an hasty one either. Though there are cases or situations that requires hasty decision like removing your legs from a hot coal, looking left and right before crossing the road etc.
In making decision, you need to systematically and actively define the issue or what really you are deciding on. Secondly, you should understand the decision you are about to make. Most people don’t really understand the decision, they just dive into it. Understanding the choices, one needs to make also involves knowing the consequences. Ask yourself what will happen, if things go wrong? If things go wrong can you fix it? If you can’t what will be the consequences. For instances, what is the consequences of fighting or stabbing someone due to a bad temper? What is the consequences of dropping out of school to be a nuisance.
To understand the decision one also needs to know how important or big it is to make such choices. One who knows that getting married is a very important or big decision will take his/her time to use his/her common sense properly. For instance, there was a family who lost their first daughter to a bad marriage, this made the rest daughters to think wisely on who to marry when it was time for marriage.
The third steps to consider is resolving the issue. In resolving the issue or deciding, you need to put into consideration every possible facts related to the issue. Think of different ways one thing can be done.
You need to be rational in making decision, i.e make decision based on reasons, rather than emotions.  It’s common sense to be contented. Do not let the feeling of “wanna be” or being among or getting what others have get to your mind. Always make do of what you have, let little things go a long way. Instead of thinking of getting new clothes, why not think of how to combine those ones you have to look great. You also need to stop feeling deprived.
If you feel your emotions is over-riding your common sense, there is nothing wrong, like I said before, to seek for others’ opinion, then you also need to use your common sense to pick out the best from the opinions others can offer you need to pick the best out of the many opinion of others because others too can be wrong.
The one usual way isn’t always the best way, sometimes it seems like common sense, but it’s not and because something has been done in a particular way, does not make it right and not enough reason to abandon common sense about current situations. For instance, a country where nothing is working and still owes so much should use common sense not only reduce the salaries of those in government, but also abolish irrelevant ministries made by past rulers to suit themselves, where this ministries and commissioners are paid so much for doing almost nothing.
Common sense is an active process. This means you can easily forget to use it. Indeed, remember that the active side of the brain is lazy. But at the same time, if you remember to use your common sense, you control it.
Everyone has lapses in common sense – most people are stupid in one area and clever in other areas. Several things can help improve the use of common sense. One way is to let our brain to work, that is why they are there. The more you allow your brain to lie or remain dormant, the lazier it becomes and takes long for it to be active again.
You should most of the time think more and do less. It is not all about working all day. What about thinking about what to do with the money? What is the right investment to get into? How much do I save for future spending more than I earn. What about thinking of your health? Know what food is best for you. For instances, it is common sense not to eat too much carbohydrate, if diabetic, spending few minute of your time to think can improve your common sense, this way you will be able to make right or clear choices when fast decision are to be made.
Plan in advance, thinking ahead is one proof of common sense. Thinking ahead does not involve thinking of the care for a situation before the prevention, but involves thinking of the prevention rather the cure or remedy of an in existing situation. Common sense should tell one to always keep the environment clean, avoid storing dirty water, so as to keep the environment free from mosquitoes, in other to prevent malaria rather than thinking in advance of how to cure the malaria itself, when it’s not even there and when the environment actually invites the mosquitoes.
Rather than thinking ahead of how to cure the kids injuries, why not first put those sharp object away from the kids, such as knifes, blades, nails etc. Repair all faulty electrical appliances and not manage them.
The level of education also helps to improve one’s use of common sense (thinking capability) in making right decision’s and to trust in those decisions. Education influences one’s decision because it helps one to make decisions by detecting what is sophisticated and to discard what is irrelevant. Getting the highest education is not what I am saying, out of possible, why not?
However, the most important thing is for you to be open minded and curious. Spend time discussing with people and make sure to ask reasons why they think the way they do?
Learn something new, enroll in vocational training, such as catering, hair dressing, barbing, carpentry etc, so you can properly make use of your common sense when issues concerning that area comes up.
Decision making is a very important aspect of one’s life. Understanding he factors that influence decision making is important to knowing what decisions to make; that is, the factors that influence the process may impact the outcomes. Always remember: the more you use your brain, the more active it becomes. Think wisely to act wisely.