Oof, Cognitive Overload
Strategies for managing mental fatigue and boosting productivity in a new role
When was the last time you started something new and found it overwhelming? For me, it had been a while. After twenty years in the same field and environment, I was accustomed to the familiar rhythms of work. Even though I tackled side projects like grad school, certifications, and building a consulting side hustle, they never pushed me too far out of my comfort zone—the vocabulary and concepts were always somewhat familiar.
Then, I started my new job, and everything changed. My cognitive load spiked as I navigated new professional jargon, a different tech stack, and a fresh work culture. The sheer volume of this newness—40 hours a week, rather than just a few hours here and there—left me mentally drained by the end of each day. A little over two months into the role, I'm finally beginning to feel more comfortable, with some mental space to revisit those side projects.
But what exactly is cognitive load?
If you haven't yet explored Jamie Clark’s Teaching one-pagers, I highly recommend them. His one-pager on Cognitive Load provides an excellent overview of Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory.
To learn something new, knowledge must first be processed in working memory (WM) before being transferred and stored in long- term memory (LTM) in the form of ‘schemas’. If WM is overloaded, there is a greater risk that the content being taught will not be understood by the learner. -Jamie Clark, Cognitive Load Theory One Pager
Starting a new role just two weeks before a big tech conference (ISTE)—where I was a featured voice and had five sessions of presentations—was the perfect recipe for cognitive overload from the start. My brain didn’t have time to process all the new information efficiently, making storing it in long-term memory challenging. I knew I was asking my colleagues some of the same questions multiple times, which annoyed me.
This experience has deepened my empathy for students who spend their entire day learning new material. It’s easy to forget how exhausting it can be to process high volumes of unfamiliar information, especially when doing it hour after hour. Now that I've experienced that mental strain firsthand, I have a renewed appreciation for the daily exhaustion students face.
How can you manage cognitive load?
Clark outlines several strategies to help students manage their cognitive load. Here are a few that I’ve found effective in my own experience:
Activate prior knowledge: Although I had experience creating digital content, I needed to adapt that knowledge to new platforms. What helped me was diving into the new platform and identifying familiar keywords and icons from other user interfaces. While I’m still learning the finer details of our website platform, it’s already becoming easier.
Provide worked examples: To grasp the tone and voice of my new company’s blog and social media, I analyzed exemplar posts and successful social activities from the past. By integrating these elements into my current work, I’ve aligned more closely with the company’s style.
Support independent problem-solving: I tackle tasks independently as much as possible. When I hit a roadblock, I take a break and attempt the task again. If I still can’t find a solution, I contact colleagues for guidance, often leading to the quickest fix.
Cut out unnecessary information: For the first time in a while, I’ve consciously tried to focus solely on my responsibilities. While understanding what’s happening on other teams is essential, I’m currently concentrating on my team’s work and what’s crucial for me to contribute there.
Cognitive load productivity hacks
I’ve also been leaning heavily into some productivity hacks that have made a big difference for me:
I have these BIG post-its that I take notes on throughout the day. At the end of a long day of meetings, I take all my notes and digitally put them in the appropriate place. That could be making a Trello card (our team's system), a Google task (my personal to-do), or creating a page on the notion content calendar to start drafting content.
I’ve started using Notion to create a "second brain," where I document critical processes and information—for example, last week marked my first experience with a new product feature launch. As I went through each marketing process step, I documented everything. Now, I have a reference guide for future launches that saves me from relying on my memory or colleagues.
As I work from home, I don’t get as much movement during the day as I would like. I have a desk that can go from sitting to standing, and I love these timer cubes that prompt me to change position every so often.
As many of my colleagues are in the UK, and something I think about in my afternoon has to wait until I connect with them in their afternoon the following day, I add those “Ask X” questions to my Google tasks for the next day. It lets me get it out of my brain while ensuring it happens.
I still live and die by my Toby tabs—its bookmarking gone next level if you have never seen it.
How do you manage cognitive load in your work or studies? I’d love to hear your strategies and what’s worked for you. Let’s start a conversation in the comments below!