#562 The 24 Hour Rule: Why Waiting Makes You Better at Work

#562 The 24 Hour Rule: Why Waiting Makes You Better at Work

From Squiggly Careers by The Squiggly Career

May 21, 2026 · 7 min

About this episode

In this episode, Sarah discusses the benefits of the 24 hour rule for improving decision making at work.

Ever sent a reply you immediately regretted, or said something in the heat of the moment you wish you hadn't? In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah makes the case for the 24 hour rule, and shares the research that backs up why waiting is almost always worth it. 🎯 What You'll Learn – Why giving yourself 24 hours moves you beyond fight, flight or freeze (and why sleep is doing more work than you think) – 3 things to do in that 24 hours while you're processing: name it to tame it, separate facts from feelings, and ask whether you'll still care about this in 12 months – Why it's okay to say "I'll come back to you tomorrow" (and why people actually find it reassuring when leaders do this) – What to do when you don't have 24 hours and an hour is the best you can get 📚 Resources Mentioned Episode 364: How to improve your judgement: https://www.amazingif.com/listen/how-to-improve-your-judgement/ For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: helenandsarah@squigglycareers.com Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3…

People in this episode

Host: Sarah

Topics covered

  • 24 hour rule
  • decision making
  • emotional intelligence
  • workplace communication
  • self-regulation

Keywords

  • 24 hour rule
  • decision making
  • emotional regulation
  • workplace advice
  • communication skills

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Squiggly Careers

Books & works: Learn Like a Lobster, Episode 364: How to improve your judgement

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