Stacey Lastoe . Shutterstock. It may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress. your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. After hospitalization, the message was pretty clear. Don't kid yourself. I think more clearly after doing something to alleviate the stress. In my book, I review the different tools that exist for helping people resolve the tension between getting caught in negative thought spirals and thinking clearly and constructively. This reduces our ability to make decisions, be sociable and take on new ideas and information. Whereas short-term stress, which raises cortisol levels for short periods, can be beneficial, long-term stress can lead to prolonged increases in cortisol, which can be toxic to the brain. If you have to make a quick decision, your heart rate is too high to let you think clearly; you are just trying to escape. My library Work-Life Balance 8 Successful Mental Habits to Defeat Fear, Worry, and Anxiety How intense is work right now? Below are several tools that you might try out to help calm your own chatter and to provide chatter support to others. The thought of speaking up when you weren’t expecting to contribute to the conversation is terrifying. Stress can also limit our ability to think clearly. You have lots of choices when you’re under stress. Thinking clearly when you are under stress is a challenge we all face as humans. Activities such as tai chi and karate can also be used to clear your mind. But you have a lot more control than you might think. It is possible to list those things in your head. In short, it’s when you feel like you just can’t think straight. Konnikova’s studies under Seidel clearly paid off: besides the PCA National Championship, she came second place at the Asia Pacific Poker Tour tournament in … Perhaps you can go for a walk to reduce your stress after a long day at the office. I know, because it happened to me and led to a state of permanent anxiety which was mistaken for a heart condition, known as angina. If we are kept in a state of stress for long periods, it can be detrimental to our health. The “walking tired” anger more easily, have problematic relationships and are less likely than those who sleep well to exercise, eat healthfully, and engage in fun leisure activities; all because they are too tired. That way, you will generate a list that can help you on how to think clearly. Meditate To De-stress. SARAH GREEN CARMICHAEL: Tasha Eurich is the author of the book Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think, and How Seeing Ourselves Clearly … Stress is the #1 cause of mental clutter and inability to think clearly. Thinking clearly and staying at the top of your game is easy when you've actually practiced for the worst. However, it has always been associated with having negative effects on our body, as it often comes with an anxious feeling that makes us unable to think clearly. 9 Tips for Thinking on Your Feet When You're Put on the Spot and Have to Sound Smart. Fortunately, we all also have potentially highly effective memory and thinking centers in our brain, and we can learn how to harness those capacities. When your thoughts keep hovering around your problems, there’s not a lot of working memory left for anything else. by. Coffee is … How to manage your mood with food . Here’s an example: Do the laundry; Wash the car; Fix the PC; Read the book; Organizing your thought with mental listicles will help think clearly … How to Think Faster and More Efficiently: Take the Next Step.