And the brain's executive will keep us in that mode until we hear, say, one of our children screaming.

NPR: Think You're Multitasking? Think Again

With an executive coach, you are forced to step out of the reactionary mode and think.

FORBES: How to Stop Reacting and Start Leading

"All I did was work, '' remembers the Crane Worldwide Logistics executive, adding: "I was never effective in crisis-management mode.

WSJ: How Google's Marissa Mayer and Others Manage Time and Relieve Stress

And despite Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt's hope that "self-driving cars should become the predominant mode of transportation in our lifetime", it could be that even a small risk could be too much for some people to be comfortable removing the driver completely.

BBC: Will driverless cars mean computer crashes?

Now This exited stealth mode Monday and announced a raft of key hires, headlined by Eason Jordan, former chief new executive of CNN.

FORBES: Now This News: HuffPost Veterans Bake A Delicious Web Video Muffin Top