The idea of going out can be very exciting…until it’s not. Maybe you promised your friends you’d hit the new bar across town this Friday night. Perhaps you agreed to attend happy hour after work, but now you’re stuck wondering: should I go out tonight? Don’t worry: you’re not alone!
At some point, many people find themselves unable to decide whether or not they should go out. You genuinely don’t want to, but you also don’t want to appear “standoff-ish.” So, what do you do? Next time you find yourself in this situation, use this handy guide to help you decide.
How Do You Decide If You Should Go Out Tonight?
The decision to go on a night out can be difficult to make, especially if you fear disappointing your friends or loved ones. The below pointers should help you consider all angles and make the best decision possible.
Consider How You’ll Feel
Before you start thinking about how your decision might let other people down, think about how it will affect you. How do you feel about going out? Is this outing a significant event? Will it drain you more than it will make you happy and satisfied? Would you prefer having some alone time as opposed to being around people?
The last thing you want is to numb the feelings you have about going out, hoping that once you get to the party you will automatically feel better. Being truthful to yourself about how you feel can be hard, but it’s your best shot at doing things that make you happy.
Consider How Others Will Feel
The next step to deciding whether or not you should go on a night out is to consider how others will feel about your decision. Are the people you’re supposed to go out with dependent on your presence in any way? Would your absence make it difficult for them to have a good time?
Don’t make assumptions that the people hoping to see you at the party will be angry if you don’t show up. Instead, it’s better to try and analyze what your presence would mean to them. Sometimes, the anger that they might feel is all in your head.
Either way, identify what would let them down in case you fail to turn up, and do your best to resolve it. If there was a role you had to play during the outing, find a way for it to be done in your absence. For instance, if you were to be the designated driver, order a cab for them just to make sure you don’t cause any inconvenience. Once you know you did your best not to let people down, it will be easier to make up your mind.
Consider the Benefits of Going Out
Identifying the benefits of going out is also another way of making the choice easier. You need to ask yourself: will this be a positive social interaction? Will I have more fun than I expect?
The truth is, a night out can help you meet lots of new people, forge new friendships, or even expand your professional network. This could also be a chance to unwind from a long week or a particularly bad day.
Consider the Downsides of Going Out
Just because a night out with friends or coworkers comes packed with fun doesn’t mean it has no downsides to it. As such, you should weigh the cons as well.
Firstly, how much money will you spend? You might end up spending more than you should. In the quest to have the best night possible, you may also overindulge in alcohol or unhealthy foods, which can be detrimental to your health over time.
Going out can also eat into your relaxation time, and it might even make you run behind on work or school deliverables. If you spend a lot of time constantly attending parties and going on nights out, then you may want to consider declining the next invitation to go to a party or outing.
Consider Other Options
Finally, you need to consider what other options you have. What other activities can you take part in instead of going out? Do you have some work you need to do? Would you be better off going to bed early? Would you rather finish reading that book you started months ago?
Knowing the alternative activities that you would take part in might make it easier for you to make up your mind. If the activities you have lined up with friends out on the town aren’t as important to you, then you can more easily choose not to go. If going out feels more satisfying than those activities, you already have your answer.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, the decision to go for a night out depends on how well you understand yourself and those involved in your plan. Take time to consider how you really feel about going out and avoid a snap decision. Try to figure out whether your absence would negatively affect the plans made by the rest of the group. Avoiding an outing could disappoint some, but it’s often a simple way to save money, and most friends will understand frugalness from time to time.
Weigh the pros and cons that going out will have on you, and try to identify what other activities you can do instead of going out. It won’t be easy to analyze all these, but it will be fulfilling to know the decision you arrived at will yield the best night possible.