Under stress, follow the written sequence — intuitive…

When This Fires

• When cognitive load spikes (multiple competing demands, crisis, information overload)
• When stress is elevated (deadlines, interpersonal conflict, health issues)
• When you notice yourself floundering on "what should I do next?" — shift to the written protocol
• During any situation where Design triggers for your worst cognitive day… would apply (worst-case cognitive design)

Common Failure Mode

Relying on intuition under stress because "I know this workflow": "I don't need the checklist — I've done this a hundred times." Under normal conditions, that's true. Under stress, the hundred-times experience degrades to a jumbled approximation where steps are skipped and dependencies are violated. The expert pilot still uses the checklist during emergencies — not because they don't know the procedure, but because stress-compromised recall is less reliable than reading.

The Protocol

(1) For every important multi-step workflow, create an externalized sequence document (Map agent dependencies and arrange in topological order…). This is your stress-mode protocol. (2) Under normal conditions: execute intuitively if the workflow is well-practiced. The externalized document is available but not actively referenced. (3) When cognitive load increases or stress appears (observable triggers: elevated heart rate, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed): switch to the externalized protocol. Open the document and follow it step by step. (4) Do not improvise or modify the sequence in real-time under stress — your judgment about optimal sequencing is impaired at exactly this moment. Trust the sequence designed during calm conditions (Design pre-commitments when calm to constrain behavior…). (5) After the stressful period, review: did the externalized protocol work? Does it need updates? Modify during calm, not during stress.