The first time I consciously used the rule, we lived in Lugo. I vividly recall the two of us standing in the MediaMarkt sound aisle, agonizing over which of two portable speakers we should buy. With the form factor and price decided, the sound quality was the missing piece. And what a piece.

Unlike with more expensive appliances like TVs, the store didn’t have any of the speakers available for testing, so we were left with no clue. At some point in the conversation, I suggested: “Let’s buy both, test them at home, and return the one we like less”. The store offered returns within the first 15 days, as long as the device was in pristine condition. So that was a possibility. Not without hesitation, we bought both. Once we turned them on at home, the decision was instantaneous.

The last time I consciously used the rule was a few days ago. Through an advertisement, I learned about a workshop starting in two months. It potentially conflicted with something else I had in mind. Potentially: I didn’t know if the second event would happen, or when. “What do I do?” I thought. The workshop only had a dozen spots, and I presumed the instructors’ names would attract interest as soon as it was widely announced. I feared I’d miss my spot just because the organizers of the second event hadn’t published a schedule yet. It occurred to me I could check the refund policy for the workshop. Voilà. It turns out you can cancel anytime (full money back) as long as the workshop hasn’t started. So I bought a ticket. But actually, I bought time: I can make a better decision in two weeks, when the second event’s schedule materializes.

Nobody wants to make bad decisions that cost money, and the lack of information was paralyzing. But, in both cases, acting was reversible (buy-return). It was virtually free to make the decision, there was no cost other than the time it took to return them. It’s in situations like these that I learned to use the rule:

If it’s reversible, decide fast.

The good thing about this heuristic is that it’s one of those you can apply to any aspect of life, including work. It was actually Toni who put a name to it for me, about a decade ago. It’s been impossible to unsee ever since.

It buys you time and peace of mind. Worst-case scenario, you have to drive back to the store.