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Stephen Cheatham of northern Florida is adopting a practical decision rule to slow down, verify information, and improve long-term results in work and life.
NORTHERN FLORIDA, USA, Jun 23, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Engineering-focused consultant Stephen Cheatham is adopting a new personal policy in his work and daily life: no major decision moves forward without a 24-hour review period.
The rule is simple. Before making a meaningful decision, Cheatham will pause, write down the assumptions, check the key facts, and revisit the issue the next day with a clearer mind.
“I don’t think moving faster always means making progress,” Cheatham says. “A lot of my work is helping people slow down long enough to see what they’re missing.”
The policy grew from his experience in structural systems, coastal development, and environmental risk. Cheatham has spent much of his career helping property owners and developers think beyond the immediate task.
“Most problems give you clues before they become expensive,” he says. “The challenge is being patient enough to notice them.”
Why Stephen Cheatham Is Making the Change
The broader problem is not just personal. People are making more decisions with more pressure, more data, and more distractions.
Recent workplace research shows that distractions, fatigue, and poor planning are serious challenges. NOAA reported 27 U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2024, causing about $182.7 billion in damage. FEMA-backed research has also found that mitigation grants can return about $6 in benefit for every $1 invested.
Other research has found that high mental workload and job fatigue can hurt safety and productivity. Workplace distraction studies also show that interruptions and context switching remain major barriers to focused work.
For Cheatham, those issues connect to a simple idea.
“By the time something fails, the real decision was usually made much earlier,” he says.
What Changed
Cheatham’s 24-hour decision rule includes four steps:
First, he writes down the decision in plain language.
Second, he lists the main assumptions behind it.
Third, he checks the facts that could change the outcome.
Fourth, he waits at least one full day before moving forward, unless the issue is truly urgent.
This rule applies to project recommendations, client decisions, scheduling commitments, and personal priorities.
“I’m not trying to make decision-making complicated,” Cheatham says. “I’m trying to make it honest.”
Why It Works
Cheatham believes the pause creates distance. It makes it easier to separate urgency from importance.
The rule also protects against reacting too quickly to incomplete information.
“It’s easy to confuse pressure with proof,” he says. “A deadline can make something feel true before it has been tested.”
His background in coastal development shaped that view. Early in his career, he saw how small overlooked details could grow into major issues. Site conditions, weather patterns, materials, and maintenance needs all mattered.
The 24-hour rule brings that same mindset into everyday decisions.
How Success Will Be Measured
Cheatham plans to measure the rule in practical ways.
He will track how many decisions are changed, delayed, or improved after the review period. He will also note how often the pause reveals a missing fact, unclear assumption, or better option.
Success will not be measured by perfection. It will be measured by fewer avoidable mistakes and better follow-through.
“For me, success is not about never being wrong,” Cheatham says. “It’s about building a habit that catches more problems before they grow.”
A Simple 30-Day Challenge
Cheatham is encouraging readers to adopt one version of the rule today.
Pick one decision category. It could be work commitments, home repairs, spending choices, project planning, or health routines. Before acting, write down the decision, the reason behind it, and one fact that needs to be checked.
Then track it for 30 days.
“At the end of a month, you’ll know where you rush, where you assume, and where a pause helps,” Cheatham says.
About Stephen Cheatham
Stephen Cheatham is an engineering-focused consultant based in northern Florida. He specializes in structural systems, coastal development, and environmental risk. His work helps property owners, investors, and developers think more carefully about long-term durability, resilience, and preventable setbacks in storm-prone regions.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No State Today USA journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
