I teach my guys one thing first and foremost, in fact it is virtually a rant; somebody is always flying the aircraft.
That's it.
If you have something you want to do that does not involve your total attention to aviating, "you have control."
All this very interesting chat about equipment failures, trim settings, distractions or what have you ignores the soundness of this basic tenet.
If you want something to write on your bathroom mirror in the morning while you ready yourself for work, try "Skin, tin, ticket."