How to Manage Cognitive Load and Optimize Your Thinking

Have you ever experienced feeling overwhelmed when studying for an exam or trying to solve a difficult problem? If so, you’ve likely encountered cognitive load. Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process information and complete tasks. As we go through our daily lives, we encounter cognitive load in many forms, such as trying to remember someone’s name, navigating a new city, or juggling multiple tasks at once.

Research has shown that excessive cognitive load can impede our ability to learn, think critically, and make decisions. However, with the right strategies in place, we can manage cognitive load and optimize our thinking.

Unleash the power of your mind by lightening the load; a decluttered brain is the key to unlocked potential.

What is Cognitive Load?

Cognitive Load Theory, proposed by psychologist John Sweller in the 1980s, is a framework used to explain the process that takes place when our brains consume and store information. Cognitive load comes in two variants: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic cognitive load is inherent to the difficulty of the task or information itself — it’s the mental effort involved in understanding a complex concept, solving a challenging problem, or learning a new skill. It…