How to Stress-Proof Your Thinking (and Stop Outsourcing It to Loudmouths)
In my last article, I explored how stress hijacks our brains, shoves the rational prefrontal cortex into a cupboard, and hands the keys to the amygdala—our inner alarm bell. The result? We stop thinking clearly and happily outsource our reasoning to whoever offers the loudest, simplest explanation. Unfortunately, those explanations often come courtesy of demagogues peddling simple lies to complex problems.
So how do you avoid falling for this? You can’t eliminate stress (unless you’ve cracked immortality, in which case: please DM me). But you can inoculate yourself. Think of this as installing anti-virus software for your brain.
1. Spot the Early Warning Signs
Stress doesn’t knock politely. It shows up as irritability, obsessive news-checking, or an oddly warm embrace of slogans like “It’s all their fault!” Recognize these red flags and pause. Just naming it—“my brain is outsourcing again”—helps reboot rational thinking.
2. Breathe Like You Mean It
Yes, it sounds like a yoga cliché, but science backs it up. Slow, deliberate breathing reduces cortisol and calms the amygdala. One study from Harvard showed “4-7-8” breathing (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8) improves self-regulation. Translation: fewer bad decisions involving pitchforks or bulk-buying bleach.
3. Build a Checklist
Pilots use checklists under pressure. You can too. Ask yourself:
What’s the actual evidence?
Am I reacting emotionally or logically?
Who benefits if I believe this story?
Is there a boring explanation that’s more likely?
A checklist keeps your brain from borrowing someone else’s script.
4. Diversify Your Information Diet
If you only ever listen to one voice, don’t be surprised when it hijacks your thinking. Curate a mix: read across political leanings, follow experts, and deliberately seek out complexity. Think of it as cross-training for your prefrontal cortex.
5. Strengthen Your Baseline
You can’t avoid stress, but you can make your brain more resilient.
Sleep properly. Sleep deprivation weakens rational control faster than a budget airline cuts legroom.
Exercise. Movement reduces stress hormones and sharpens cognition.
Mindfulness. Studies show it literally thickens the prefrontal cortex. Yes, meditation gives your brain biceps.
6. Learn to Tolerate Complexity
Demagogues thrive because people crave certainty under stress. But reality is messy, and “It’s all simple” is usually the world’s most expensive lie. Practice sitting with ambiguity. It may not feel satisfying, but it’s far less likely to end in regrettable voting decisions.
7. Appoint a Rational Anchor
When stress hits, talk things over with someone boringly sensible. Not your conspiracy-loving uncle. Someone steady, rational, and ideally unimpressed by slogans. Sometimes outsourcing does work—if you choose wisely.
The Bottom Line
Stress will tempt you to hand over your reasoning. But you don’t have to. Recognize the signs, breathe, check your thinking, vary your sources, and build habits that keep your rational brain fit. Complexity doesn’t disappear just because you ignore it—it waits patiently until your “simple solution” collapses, then presents the bill with interest.
Stress may be inevitable. Stupidity is optional.
About the Author
Simon Dudley is a chump. A man who believes in paying taxes, waiting his turn, the rule of law, being a decent human being. He writes a lot about strategy, technology, society, education, business, Excession Events and science.
Visit ExcessionEvents.com to learn more about his work in the Competitive Intelligence space and how he helps companies compete more effectively.
Simon has nearly 40 years experience in the tech sector, and has a wide range of experiences across markets, geographies, and disciplines.
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