We face stressful situations every day. It is a universal experience that affects all of us, whether it’s dealing with personal challenges or navigating the demands of our fast-paced professional lives. When we are under stress, our brains go into overdrive, it shifts the way we think, impacting how we process information and make decisions. In this article, I will explore how stress influences our judgement, the practical implications, and what we can do about it.
How does stress impair our judgment?
When we’re stressed, our body’s fight-or-flight response activates. Unfortunately, this activation overrides the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that is responsible for logical reasoning and complex decision-making. This results in individuals under stress relying on faster and habitual responses rather than thinking about new goal-directed decisions (Yu, 2016). This shift happens because it takes less mental effort to follow your gut. Additionally, as we make more decisions throughout the day, it can lead to decision-making fatigue. A state of mental and emotional exhaustion that makes it harder for us to make clear-headed choices (Walden University, 2024), resulting in procrastination and avoidance (Wei, 2025). This vicious cycle further increases stress levels, creating a loop where stress contributes to decision fatigue, and decision fatigue intensifies stress level (Walden University, 2024).
Stress responses and decision making:
- Habitual vs Novel Decisions: As mentioned above, when we are stressed, we make decisions out of habit rather than novel ones because it requires less mental energy (Yu, 2016; Walden University, 2024). We tend not to assess other alternatives, even if there is no time limit (Keinan, 1987; Walden University, 2024).
- Risk-Taking Behaviours: Stress often makes us take the riskier option especially in situations when we are looking for a quick solution rather than systematically considering long-term consequences (Hengen & Alpers, 2021; Rocha et al., 2023).
- Impact on brain Chemistry: Chronic stress changes our brain chemistry. There is decreased in blood flow and oxygen to our brain, making it harder for us to weigh the benefits and risks accurately, leading to poor decision making (Walden University, 2024).
- Stress and anxiety: Stress can contribute to anxiety by making us more aware of our emotions and become more sensitive to our anxiety symptoms. Both stress and anxiety take up a lot of our mental energy, they slow down our ability to think clearly and make rational decisions (Hengen & Alpers, 2021).
What can we do?
Fortunately, our brains are remarkably resilient. We can adapt and change in response to the experiences, rewiring our brains to respond to stress and decision-making better. Even though stress can overwhelm us and impair our judgment, using the right strategies can reduce its impact to help us manage and improve our decision-making skills under pressure.
Strategies for managing stress and making decisions under stress:
- Exercise and Physical Activity: Exercising regularly is a great way to relieve stress. During exercise, endorphins are released, our body’s natural painkillers, improving our mood and reducing anxiety. Whether it is a quick 10-20 mins walk or a pilates session, finding an exercise that you find enjoyable can have benefits for stress management (APA, 2020).
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): This technique allows you to become more aware of the tension in your body and learn to release them, helping you unwind and reduce stress. It involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, giving your body permission to release the built-up stress, allowing yourself to be both physically and mentally relaxed and focused (HealthHub, 2022; Toussaint et al., 2021).
- Self-Care and Social Support: Engaging in activities that you enjoy and connecting with friends and loved ones are key to managing stress and improving overall well-being. Self-care activities like treating yourself to a massage or calling a friend helps you relax and improves mood (Mental Health First Aid USA, 2022). Having friends and loved ones providing emotional and practical support plays a pivotal role in helping individuals cope with stressful situations (Thorn, 2019).
Strategies for making decisions under stress:
- Mindfulness and Meditation: These tools, when done regularly, can help improve brain function and reduce emotional control in decision-making. Taking a few minutes each day to incorporate these practices can help us stay present and focused, reducing stress and anxiety levels, leading to clearer decision-making (Can et al., 2020).
- Decision Trees and Structured Approaches: This tool help you to understand all the options and the consequences of a particular decision. Especially when you are under stress, this tool can help you keep track of all the possible outcomes accurately, reducing decision bias, allowing you to make decisions better under stress (HRCC, 2024; Virtual College, 2025).
- Take Breaks and Pause: Instead of rushing into a decision, take a moment to pause and breathe. Allow yourself to calm down and be more focused to think clearly and make better decisions (HealthHub, 2022).
Overall, stress can impair our judgments by pushing us to act based on our instincts rather than making clear-headed decisions. However, our brains have the amazing ability to adapt, changing and growing based on our experiences. By practicing ways to manage stress levels, we can improve our decision-making under stress.
To meet with a professional psychologist or counsellor, call The Other Clinic at 8809 0659 or email us hello@theotherclinic.sg.
Citation
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