As automation has taken over more and more of the manual tasks, the primary role of the pilot has has become more about monitoring and decision making than about direct control. Much of the information that comes to the pilot is low key and routine. Nevertheless, it is crucial that each and every piece of information is checked for importance and relevance.
A simple way to discipline yourself to follow this advice is to practise monitoring of 'cause and effect'. Each time a piece of information pops up - check for the expected effect, and don't just accept the information blindly.
If you're cruising along on a pre-planned course, and ATC then ask you to maintain present heading, is it too much trouble to suspend admin tasks, crank down the range on the TCAS display (AIS for seafarers), and start to analyse why ATC want to take closer control of your course?
If a centralised warning caption (ECAM/EICAS) comes on, check the remote system lights for confirmation.
There are many other examples. By getting into a routine of checking for cause and effect, and 'automating' that routine by practise, it means that on the dark and stormy night when all hell breaks loose you will be well practised at confidently sorting the important from the trivial and the real from the false.
By happy coincidence, a side effect of this routine is to build in a pause to the proceedings, which should assist in the process of avoiding rushing into an incorrect reaction. Sitting on your hands to avoid the rush is basic advice, but checking for 'cause and effect' gives you something to do in the meantime.
The effective crews do this all the time, so it makes sense to emulate them in order to join them.
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