A young boy with light skin and short blond hair, wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt and dark red suit vest, covers his face with his hands.
mintchipdesigns/Pixabay

We all know that some choices will probably end in regret, but many of us keep making them anyway. Whether it's "Oh, I'll just make coffee in the morning," instead of setting up the coffee maker the night before, or "I'll definitely get to that tomorrow," some choices are almost guaranteed to backfire.


Redditor alaraja asked the folks on AskReddit:

"What decision always backfires?"

No, You Won't

"I'll just get up early and do it"

-getwhatImsaying

That one has a famous child decision, the "I'll just get gas in the morning, on my way to work tomorrow."

There are many other subcategories, but that's probably the biggest one.

-SecondTalon

Enough Chances

Giving abusive people a second/tenth chance.

-DirtySingh

I came here to say this, specifically cheating spouses.

-Farrageau

It's Going To Be Awkward, At Least

Going through someones phone. You will ALWAYS find something you dont want to see.

-PendBestDeck

My ex, when we were dating, went through my phone while I was in the bathroom.

He was so angry that I was going to the movies with a guy named Devon

Devon was a girl. I am a girl. We are both straight. We are both friends.

Pretty sure to this day, he thinks I’m still lying about it and “cheated” on him

-cooldart61

You Should Sleep

Staying up late instead of going to bed when you feel tired.

-LucyVialli

The older I get the truer this is. Can't stay up past 11 or else I'm extremely tired in the morning getting ready for work

-brawndofan58

Why Test?

"Testing" your SO, or any other playing of games in a relationship.

-brawndofan58

This is the one . It’s a lose-lose scenario that we create

-KayInReality

Just Stay Where You Are

Switching over to the ‘Shorter’ queue.

-HairoftheDog89

And it's analogue, changing to the faster moving lane in the traffic jam. Once you change lanes, the lane you just left will start moving much faster than your new lane. It is a tale as old as time. A fundamental law of physics.

-GozerDGozerian

It's Never 5 Minutes

closing your eyes for "5 more minutes"

-Environmental_Yak305

an hour and a half later, "oh sh*t, I'm late!"

-luckygreenstar

Just Stay Out Of It

Getting involved in other people's relationships. Let them work it out

-kaneisprettycool

Yeah, and don't ever get in the middle of a fight god forbid.

-Rolloverbeethoven93

Give It Time

Any decision made when you're feeling overwhelmed. Feeling angry? Step back, simmer down first before you act. Feeling sad or bitter? Sleep on it, watch a comfort movie, get your mood back up before you do something.

Once you're back on the level, you'll often find that email you typed, or that argument you'd have had, or that phone call you were going to make was affected by how you were feeling and would've been an overreaction, and the whole situation wasn't as bad as you thought.

-AMarmaladeSandwich

I have BPD. I've had to learn and practice exactly what you said, in order to control my behaviour. the whole "do not react to how an event makes you feel, stop, consider if my reaction fits the magnitude of the event. If it doesn't, do nothing at all." has been central to my recovery.

-Squigglepig52

This goes double for when you are suffering big grief. Don’t make any big decisions for 6 months.

-Powerful-Knee3150

That’s partly what made me think of this. I lost someone recently and had to go through their things. A whole lifetime, tossed into a skip, so many things. I got home, looked around my home and all I could see suddenly was things I didn’t need. Almost tossed half my home away before I called a friend who talked me out of it. She was right. I’d have regretted it. Marie Kondo yes, grief no.

-AMarmaladeSandwich

Later Isn't Better

Procrastinating

-AF2010

I'm sure I'll stop doing that eventually

-Sythe5665

Maybe tomorrow when I have time

-Ralakus

Procrastination usually seems to be a bad idea, so maybe don't decide to do the thing in the morning. The you of tomorrow will thank the you of today.