How to Deal with Cognitive Overload

Do you ever feel like you have a million things on your to-do list, and your brain just can’t keep up? Or perhaps you’re juggling multiple tasks at once and struggling to make progress on any of them? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us experience cognitive overload at one point or another, and it can seriously threaten our productivity and well-being.

But don’t worry, there are steps you can take to deal with cognitive overload and get back on track. First, though, we’ll learn what cognitive overload is. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

What is Cognitive Overload?

Cognitive overload refers to a state in which the brain becomes overwhelmed with too much information or stimuli to process it effectively. This can lead to decreased productivity, increased stress and anxiety, and difficulty making decisions.

Cognitive overload can occur in a variety of situations, such as when we face a complex task, a high volume of information, or multiple tasks that require our attention at the same time. When our brains become overloaded with too much information, it becomes difficult to focus, make decisions, and retain information.

Symptoms of cognitive overload can include forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, increased stress and anxiety, and reduced ability to make decisions. It can also lead to symptoms like headaches and fatigue.

To avoid cognitive overload, it’s important to manage our workload and limit the amount of information and stimuli we’re exposed to. This might involve taking breaks throughout the day, prioritising tasks, and breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. By managing our cognitive load, we can improve our productivity, reduce stress, and improve our overall well-being.

Next, we’ll find out what happens when we experience cognitive overload.

What Happens When Cognitive Load is Too High?

When cognitive load is too high, our brains become overwhelmed with too much information or stimuli to process effectively, leading to several negative consequences.

Here are a few examples.

• Reduced productivity – When we’re experiencing cognitive overload, it becomes difficult to focus and make progress on our tasks. This can lead to decreased productivity and a sense of frustration and being overwhelmed.
• Increased stress and anxiety – Cognitive overload can also trigger our body’s stress response, leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety. This can affect our ability to focus and make progress.
• Decision fatigue – When our cognitive load is high, we may struggle to make decisions or prioritise tasks effectively. This can lead to decision fatigue, where we become mentally exhausted from making too many decisions. Read our post on decision fatigue for more.
• Memory problems – Cognitive overload can also impact our ability to retain information and remember vital details. This can make it difficult to learn new things or recall essential information when we need it. Want to learn how to memorise things more effectively? Check out our post on the subject.

Overall, cognitive overload can have a significant impact on our productivity, well-being, and overall quality of life.

What Are the 3 Types of Cognitive Load?

There are three recognised types of cognitive load. Let’s look at each in turn.

Intrinsic cognitive load – This refers to the inherent difficulty of a task, which is determined by its complexity and the amount of information involved. Intrinsic cognitive load is determined by the nature of the task itself and cannot be changed by external factors.

Extraneous cognitive load – This is the cognitive load that can be introduced by external factors, such as distractions or poor instructional design. Extraneous cognitive load can interfere with our ability to process and retain information and can be minimised by eliminating unnecessary distractions and providing clear, well-thought-out instructions.

Germane cognitive load – This is the cognitive load that is necessary for learning and problem-solving. Germane cognitive load is essential for building and strengthening mental models and can be increased through activities like practice and repetition.

By understanding these different types of cognitive load, we can design more effective learning experiences, reduce unnecessary cognitive load, and enhance our ability to learn and solve problems. The easiest form of cognitive overload to manage is extraneous, so let’s see how you could go about reducing it.

How Do You Reduce Extraneous Cognitive Load?

Reducing extraneous cognitive load involves eliminating unnecessary distractions and optimising the learning environment to maximise your focus and attention. Here are a few strategies you could employ.

Provide clear instructions – Providing clear, well-structured instructions can help you lessen confusion and eliminate unnecessary cognitive load. Instructions should be concise, easy to understand, and presented in a logical order.

Minimise distractions – Minimising distractions can help you reduce extraneous cognitive load and optimise focus and attention. This might involve eliminating background noise, reducing visual clutter, or providing a quiet workspace.

Use multimedia effectively – Using multimedia, such as videos or images, can help to engage learners and facilitate learning. However, it’s important to use multimedia effectively and avoid overloading learners with unnecessary information or distractions.

Break down complex tasks – Breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks can help reduce extraneous cognitive load and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. This might involve using step-by-step instructions or providing examples to help people understand more complex concepts.

Use scaffolding techniques – Scaffolding techniques, such as providing hints or cues, can help to guide people through challenging tasks and reduce extraneous cognitive load. Scaffolding should be removed bit by bit as you become more proficient, to encourage more independent problem-solving. Check out our piece on the power of creative problem-solving for more.

By reducing extraneous cognitive load, you can optimise learning and problem-solving, reduce stress and frustration, and enhance your overall cognitive performance.

Now it’s time to learn how to deal with cognitive overload.

How Do You Deal with Cognitive Overload?

Managing cognitive overload involves taking steps to reduce the amount of cognitive load you’re experiencing, as well as improving your ability to handle cognitive load when it does happen. Here are a few strategies to help deal with it.

Prioritise tasks – Prioritising tasks can help to reduce cognitive overload by focusing on the most important and urgent tasks first.

Break tasks into smaller chunks – Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks can help you reduce cognitive load and prevent overwhelm. This might involve using step-by-step instructions or breaking tasks down into smaller sub-tasks.

Take breaks – Taking breaks throughout the day can help to reduce cognitive load and improve cognitive performance. Try taking a short walk, practicing deep breathing, or meditating for a few minutes to help clear your mind and reduce stress.

Practice mindfulness – Practicing mindfulness can help to improve your ability to manage cognitive load by increasing your awareness and focus. Try incorporating mindfulness exercises, such as mindful breathing or body scans, into your daily routine. See our post on meditation and productivity for more info.

Eliminate distractions – Eliminating unnecessary distractions, such as notifications or social media, can help to reduce cognitive load and improve focus. Try turning off notifications, closing unnecessary tabs or apps, or using noise-cancelling headphones to reduce distractions.

By managing cognitive overload effectively, you can improve your cognitive performance, reduce stress, and achieve your goals more effectively. It’s important to find the strategies that work best for you and incorporate them into your daily routine to prevent burnout and optimise productivity.

Wrapping Up

Cognitive overload can be a real productivity killer. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and struggling to focus, it can be hard to get anything done. However, by taking steps to deal with cognitive overload, you can improve your cognitive performance, reduce stress, and achieve your goals more effectively.

Whether it’s prioritising tasks, breaking them into smaller chunks, taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, or eliminating distractions, there are many strategies that can help you manage cognitive overload and stay productive. By finding the strategies that work best for you and incorporating them into your daily routine, you can optimise your cognitive performance.

So, next time cognitive overload threatens your productivity, don’t panic! Instead, take a deep breath, try out some of the strategies explored above, and remember that with a little bit of mindfulness and effort, you can deal with cognitive overload and achieve your goals with ease.