Note: This article is by Tyler Tervooren, who shares his experience making good decisions under pressure.
Every marathon ends at mile 21, and at that time, I reflect and wonder, "Why am I doing this? What a fool.” But I still have five kilometers to go.
This nonsense comes to mind under intense pressure as a test of my stamina, and I do so because completing the race has personal significance. I will remember this after a week or more. So, I kept an important rule: I will not make decisions to finish a race while running; once I start, I will not stop or retreat and will not think about the next stage.
That's common sense, but how often have you made the wrong decision in a stressful situation? We all do it, though we shouldn't. You can use three simple methods to ensure you don't keep doing it in the future, or at least not too much.
Stress Destroys Your Ability To Make Smart Choices
If we have one thing we're sure college students are a good fit for, it's taking psychological tests and making bad choices. In 1987, a researcher gathered a hundred students and asked them to make a series of decisions. Each model had a clear winner and a clear loser, and students were given the time they wanted to choose an answer.
You might ask, “What could go wrong?” You wouldn't have read this if things went well, as many students ended up making bad choices that they later regretted because there was one other variable in the experience: stress.
Some students were given a calm, contemplative environment, and others were exposed to varying levels of stress; some stressors were beyond the student's control - it just happened to them - while others were able to manage their stress.
As you have already guessed, students in the ideal scenario made logical and rational decisions and made the right choices. As you certainly thought, too, people who experienced a great deal of uncontrollable stress performed horribly, unable to devise intelligent solutions to save their lives. The same is true for students who were under the influence of simple stress. Even when they could control this stress, they repeatedly failed decision-making tasks.
The results of the experiment were clear and direct; it doesn't matter what type or how much stress you are exposed to; if you feel it, you will make a mistake when it comes to making good choices. So what do you do when your stress levels are high and you have important decisions to make? You need a strategy.
Rules for success when stress is high
Stress is not so bad; a lot of it is good. If you have any ambition, you will likely feel it. This is called natural or moderate tension (Eustress). It's the type of tension you choose for yourself; it strengthens your senses and motivates you to give your best, but science tells us that even if you enjoy stress in your life, it can be horrible for your wise decision-making.
You need a strategy to manage stress and make effective decisions. For the most part, the strategy is simple: don't make big decisions when you're stressed, and instead, follow these three tips:
1. Don't let stress motivate your decisions
Do not stop watching the race before its end. When you feel the most stress at work or during a large project, you will also feel the greatest motivation to make the wrong decision. You may make your decision in these moments, but do not stick to it; constantly re-evaluate when things calm down.
2. Set aside 30 minutes each day to de-stress
When you're under constant stress, you'll feel more hopeless, like you'll never get a chance to make good, rational choices, but you don't actually need much time to change that. If you can set aside 30 minutes daily to relax - exercise, read, or just watch TV - you can put yourself in an excellent position to make smart decisions.
3. Implement your decisions with the help of a calm person
It never hurts to consult someone else when you feel you might make the wrong decision under pressure. When stressed, you can't see or evaluate all the options. So thinking about your scenario with the help of a quiet, trusted friend can quickly reveal the vague points you may not have thought about. Your quality of life and ability to do the meaningful things you've identified depend almost entirely on your decisions.
In conclusion
These three tips are another set of tools you can use to make sure your choices are the best possible ones.
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