The big picture.
Think of where you are and how you got there. I know that you are talking generalities, that's all these are.
Is the altitude a factor? Do you normally work on the coast and today you find yourself at 5000'?
Did you come in early in the day and now it's stinking hot? Is the weather a factor? Could you leave more easily later in the day as it cools?
If you came in to pick stuff up and now you're too heavy, can you leave some of it behind and make two trips? I'd rather pay for the fuel for two trips than an engine rebuild!
Well said about planning, but if you came in to pick up firefighters and the flames are coming over the hill... you might just want to know how to get out.
One thing that I was taught was a one inch hover. The closer you are to the ground when you start your climb, the less power used to start with, the longer that you are in ground effect means the more acceleration that you are going to get as you climb.
Good question.