Stress can be overwhelming. An overstressed pilot may show mental blocks, confusion, channelized attention, resignation, frustration, rage, and deterioration in motor coordination. To avoid such situations, one should be ahead of the game by anticipating - “if this happens, I will do XX”. It is good to anticipate possible scenarios and threats that could arise during the flight. This will reduce the surprise factor if something does happen. Anticipating what might happen is not enough. It is important that once all reasonable scenarios and threats are identified, a sound plan for dealing with them is made on the ground before flight.

Sometimes, even if you anticipate and plan, you may still find yourself in an overwhelming situation. To successfully manage this, you should make the best use of any resource available to you, which include your own body (physical and psychological factors), information, equipment, other people (fellow crew member, ATC) and automation. An important procedure is the careful distribution of tasks in the cockpit and other resources, such as onboard equipment and ATC, cab always help by providing information and advice that will help you deal with the situation and reduce stress levels. It is also paramount to prioritize tasks - rate tasks by how important or urgent they are and get the most critical ones done first.

Emergencies must also be rehearsed because, when under stress, you may revert to former training.