How to Deal With Indecisive Person: 23 Effective Ways

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In any healthy relationship, effective communication and shared decision-making are crucial for successfully achieving common goals. However, when one partner is uncertain and indecisive, it can lead to conflicts and difficulties in making progress. 

The task of dealing with an indecisive partner can be challenging and requires a great deal of patience, love, and understanding. If you find yourself grappling with this issue, fret not, as this article aims to provide you with some valuable strategies to effectively navigate the complexities of dealing with an indecisive partner. 

From fostering open communication to promoting self-reflection, these techniques have been curated to help you cultivate a more harmonious and balanced relationship. 

So, if you are seeking guidance on how to deal with an indecisive partner, read on to discover practical and proven approaches that can transform your relationship and pave the way for healthier decision-making processes.

What is the meaning of indecisiveness in a relationship?

To be indecisive in a relationship means not having the willpower to make decisions and stand by them. Someone who is indecisive can take a long time to decide on something due to fear of the unknown, fear of failure, laziness, fear of being responsible, etc. 

If a person is indecisive about a relationship, it can stem from their overall personality, which tends to run away from being decisive about events, things, or circumstances. It can create misunderstanding and lead to confusion throughout. 

Therefore, indecisiveness can be a drawback in the relationship, and it can strain the other partner who is more decisive.

7 traits of an indecisive partner

How do you know the traits of an indecisive person in a relationship? You can know if your partner is indecisive by looking at some of these traits below:

1. They promise but forget easily

If you notice that your partner is used to making promises but not meeting them, they might be indecisive. Don’t rely too much on their promises if this pattern occurs regularly. Instead, focus on helping them get better at making decisions.

2. They cancel plans without any valid reason

Have you noticed that your partner is used to canceling plans without providing any good reason? This means that they are not usually sure of their plans. Therefore, they will prefer to cancel, not minding the repercussions.

This usually happens because they act on impulse. Emily Barkley Levenson and Craig R Fox worked on a research study titled: The surprising relationship between indecisiveness and impulsivity. This study explores this relationship with several individual difference measures. 

3. They keep most of their plans private

If you are looking for ways on how to deal with an indecisive partner, one of the things to notice is they prefer to keep their plans secret. They want to do things at their own pace without any pressure.

4. They seek validation and opinions from others frequently

Indecisive partners tend to seek validation and opinions from other people frequently. They lack confidence in their own decision-making abilities and rely on others to make decisions for them. This behavior can be frustrating for their partner if they feel like their input is not valued.

5. They procrastinate in making decisions

Indecisive partners tend to procrastinate and delay making decisions. They may spend a long time weighing the pros and cons of a particular decision but never actually make a choice. This can cause frustration and anxiety for both the indecisive partner and their significant other.

For example, if you ask an indecisive person a simple question, they hardly know the answer because they have never taken ample time to think about it.

To learn how to help someone who is indecisive, check out Damon Zahariade’s book titled ‘How to Make Better Decisions.’ This book contains profound tactics for making courageous decisions in different aspects of life. 

6. They constantly second-guess themselves

Indecisive partners often doubt their decisions and constantly second-guess themselves. They may repeatedly change their mind or seek reassurance from others, leading to a cycle of indecisiveness. This can create uncertainty and instability in the relationship.

7. They avoid taking responsibility for decisions

Indecisive partners often avoid taking responsibility for their decisions and may try to shift the blame onto others. 

They may say things like, “I wouldn’t have chosen this if you hadn’t influenced me,” or “I only did it because you wanted me to.” This unwillingness to take ownership of their decisions can create tension and frustration in the relationship.

What makes a partner indecisive?

One of the reasons for being indecisive is the fear of making the wrong decision. No one wants to decide on something and later find out they were wrong. Therefore, some people might be reluctant to make such decisions in the first place.

On the other hand, some partners would stick to one decision after several findings and brainstorming sessions. Some people can also be worried about the consequences of succeeding, so making decisions might be difficult for them.

Coach Silvana Mici highlights,

Many times, even these individuals don’t want to behave like this, but it is something they can not control. Their fear of doing the wrong thing is bigger.In a relationship, open communication is the key to understanding each other.

Encourage your partner to express their thoughts and feelings about decisions, fostering a deeper connection.

23 effective ways to deal with an indecisive partner

Having an indecisive partner can be tiring and frustrating. This is because they find it hard to be sure of anything. They can make some promises today and not follow through the next day. If you want to know how to deal with an indecisive partner, here are some tips to help you.

1. Create backup plans for them

When it comes to how to deal with indecisiveness, it is important to know that such people have this habit because they are unsure of their plans. It might be challenging to know what to do when they have a sole plan. 

If you have an indecisive partner, you need to make several options available. So, if they cannot decide on their first plan, they can try out the available backup alternatives.

2. Be assertive

One of the ways to learn how to overcome indecision, especially in a relationship, is to be the assertive one. If your partner cannot easily make choices, you might have to do this for them. 

For instance, if both of you go shopping and you know your partner finds it hard to select for themselves, you need to step in and call the shots.

3. Be patient

In the process of learning how to help indecisiveness in your partner, you might give up because it requires a lot of patience. If you don’t have the bandwidth for that, you need to train yourself to give your partner the time to make critical decisions for themselves. 

You should also provide them with the needed guidance and resources to avoid making mistakes.

4. Throw in a bit of selfishness

Another effective step on how to deal with an indecisive partner is to act selfishly a little. If they are trying to make decisions and are stuck, you can tell them to make you the focal point of their planning. 

So, when they want to make decisions, they can give you a free hand to state what you want and implement it.

5. Stimulate their mental capacity

When it comes to indecisive people relationships, you need to be careful not to mistake this for manipulation. 

Sometimes, an indecisive girlfriend or boyfriend might not have the mental strength to brainstorm on making some crucial decisions. Therefore, you can help them by posing important questions that help them decide faster.

6. Encourage them to use their instincts

No matter how indecisive a person might be, there is always something nudging them to do a particular thing. However, the fear of uncertainty and failure prevents them from taking that bold step. 

Coach Miri further points out,

If you are looking for how to deal with an indecisive partner, you can always encourage them to use their instincts if they are at a crossroads.

7. Give them the silent treatment

For tips on how to deal with indecisive people, it is sometimes effective to give silent treatment when they are taking too long to make a decision. 

Then, when they notice that you have left them to their fate, they might be more intentional about thoroughly thinking things through and coming up with the right decisions.

8. Explain the importance of making a wise and fast decision

On how to stop being indecisive in a relationship, you might need to take the extra effort to explain why they need to make a decision quickly. You can also let them know how it affects you. 

Please encourage them to put the necessary factors in place to make the right decision instead of being reluctant.

9. Don’t be too serious

The downside of being too serious while waiting for your partner to decide is that they might take you for granted. Some people might give you faux hope to stop bothering them to make a decision. Unfortunately, it would also make them think you are the only serious person in the relationship.

10. Don’t be too harsh on them

When dealing with an indecisive partner, you need to control yourself to avoid being too harsh on them. You don’t have to react to their behavior every time. Sometimes, when indecisive, you can overlook it, but let them know you are doing it out of love.

11. Communicate openly with them

Trying to be open is one of the effective ways to learn how to deal with an indecisive man or woman is to be open with them. 

Discuss their indecisiveness with them and make them see why you are concerned. Then, convince them to change because it would benefit the relationship.

12. Don’t entertain flattery

Some partners might want to flatter you so that you would take your mind off it. However, be careful not to get drawn into their excessive compliments so that you don’t lose focus on the matter at hand. 

If you accept compliments too much, your partner will not take any decision-making process seriously.

13. Give them a deadline

Sometimes, when you are thinking of how to deal with an indecisive partner, you have to be firm. You can threaten them with a deadline that comes with repercussions if they don’t decide fast. But, if your partner treasures the relationship and loves you, they will make adjustments.

Coach Silvana Mici states that,

Setting clear deadlines for decisions can provide structure and help partners navigate through the decision-making process. It encourages a more proactive approach.

14. Keep healthy communication with them

When dealing with an indecisive partner, you have to be careful because you might get angry and refuse to communicate with them. 

You can prevent this from happening by maintaining healthy communication with them. They might be under pressure, so avoid bringing up unhealthy conversations that will make matters worse.

15. Choose your battles wisely

It would be best to learn that you don’t have to be firm in some aspects of indecisive people’s relationships. It would help if you did not force your partner to decide on sensitive matters. Give them all the time they want while still motivating them to employ critical thinking.

16. Support their decisions sometimes

When your partner decides, but they are not sure of it, you should throw your weight behind them. 

Sometimes, all they need is your vote of confidence so that they can take a bold step. When they see that you support them, they will be more motivated to make crucial decisions.

17. Don’t expect too much

It is important not to get your hopes up for an indecisive relationship. If you expect too much from your partner, they might disappoint you. 

As they continue becoming less indecisive, you need to allow them to grow and fully adjust to the process. The change phase might be slow, but you need to patiently wait till they become better.

18. Remind them of their commitments

On how to deal with an indecisive partner, you need to constantly remind them of how important their commitment is. When someone needs to decide, a commitment level is associated with it. 

If they are reluctant to make a decision, their commitment could suffer. When you remind them about how vital their commitment level is, they will sit up.

19. Feel free to give up sometimes

After applying all the effective strategies to make them more decisive, they might not take action. At this point, you can take a step back and watch. 

Your strategies might be correct, but your method of approach may be flawed. Therefore, give up on them for a while and plan a comeback that they would not see coming.

20. Love them unconditionally

While you wonder what causes indecisiveness in a relationship, remember that you need to keep loving your partner for who they are. 

Even though indecisiveness is a flaw that many people cannot keep up with, always remind your partner that they are unique and you will always have their back.

Sometimes, the best motivation is showing love, which automatically compels them to do the right thing without any external influence.

21. See a relationship counselor

If you feel that it is becoming more difficult for you to handle your partner because of their indecisiveness, you can seek the help of a relationship counselor.

One of the first things the counselor would do is help you uncover the root cause of their indecisiveness. Then, after conducting a personalized and in-depth interview with them, the counselor would create a treatment plan that would help them get better.

You can also take a cue from Chip and Dan Heath’s book, Decisive. Apart from romantic relationships, this book teaches how to make better choices in life and work. 

22. Establish clear boundaries and expectations

Setting clear boundaries and expectations can provide structure and clarity in the relationship, which can help an indecisive partner feel more secure. That’s what makes it an important step in learning how not to be indecisive. 

Discuss and decide together on areas where decisions need to be made, and communicate your expectations for timely decision-making. This can help reduce uncertainty and promote a more proactive approach to decision-making.

Watch this video to learn more about setting healthy boundaries:

23. Explore the root causes of their indecisiveness

Indecisiveness can stem from various underlying causes, such as fear of making mistakes, low self-confidence, or past experiences. Encourage open conversations about their indecisiveness and try to understand the reasons behind it. This understanding can help you provide appropriate support and guidance.

If necessary, consider seeking professional help, such as a therapist or life coach, to delve deeper into the root causes and work on building their decision-making skills.

Remember, dealing with an indecisive partner requires patience, understanding, and open communication. It’s important to approach the situation with empathy and avoid taking their indecisiveness personally.

FAQs

Dealing with indecisiveness in a relationship can be challenging. It’s important to communicate effectively, understand the root causes, and consider the impact of indecisiveness on the relationship. However, being indecisive does not necessarily indicate immaturity. Here are concise answers to your questions:

• How do you communicate with an indecisive partner?

Communicate openly and patiently, actively listen, and provide support. Offer guidance and encourage them to express their thoughts and concerns without judgment. Establish clear expectations for decision-making and create a safe space for open dialogue.

• Why am I so indecisive about my relationship?

Indecisiveness about a relationship can stem from fear of commitment, past experiences, or uncertainty. Take time to self-reflect, consider seeking therapy, and communicate with your partner to gain clarity and understand your feelings and concerns.

• What makes a person indecisive?

Various factors contribute to indecisiveness, such as fear of making mistakes, lack of confidence, overthinking, perfectionism, or being overwhelmed by choices. Personal experiences and upbringing can also shape decision-making tendencies.

• Is it bad to be indecisive in a relationship?

Indecisiveness can strain a relationship if it becomes a persistent pattern. It can lead to frustration and lack of progress. However, occasional indecisiveness is normal. Open communication, patience, understanding, and working together can help you navigate through it.

• Is being indecisive immature?

Indecisiveness is not inherently a sign of immaturity. It can be influenced by various factors and is a trait that individuals can work on and improve. Emotional maturation and self-awareness contribute to better decision-making, but it is a process that varies for each person.

Final thoughts 

 Dealing with an indecisive partner requires patience, understanding, and effective communication. Encouraging open dialogue, breaking down decisions into manageable parts, and setting clear timelines can contribute to a more collaborative and constructive decision-making process in the relationship.

The strategies on how to deal with an indecisive partner in this article are guaranteed to work, provided you are ready to stick with your partner through thick and thin. However, dealing with indecisiveness also requires that you approach their inadequacies with love and be patient enough for them to get better.

Remember, true progress requires perseverance and unwavering support, and with these tools, you can overcome indecisiveness and forge a lasting bond with your partner.