Cortisol & Chronic Stress Load
Weeks of elevated cortisol impair working memory and shift risk preferences; chronically stressed people become more risk-averse and worse at holding complex terms in mind.
An everyday example
A CFO in month three of a crisis turns down a well-structured deal because she cannot hold its moving parts in her head and it 'feels' dangerous.
What it can cost you
Making permanent decisions in a temporary physiological state, and being deliberately kept in that state by a counterpart.
Warning signs
- I cannot hold the whole deal in my head and it makes me want to say no.
- Everything has felt risky for weeks, not just this.
One thing to do
Track stress as a decision input: during sustained high stress, defer irreversible calls, shrink complexity to one page, and use a rested co-decider.
Is this happening to you right now?
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