Basically, cognitive overload is what happens when you're inundated with more information than your brain can process, so your brain just gives up altogether, making hard to focus on anything at all. Here's what to know about it and what to do once you identify it.
Think of how many times your phone lights up on a given day. I just checked my screentime app and discovered that though it's only early afternoon, I've gotten 150 notifications straight to my lock screen already today. It's only Wednesday, so I'm averaging 213 a day, which my phone assures me is down 20% from last week and I'm quite sure I'll pick back up by the time Sunday rolls around. Considering that a few months ago, I redid all my phone settings so not all of my notifications got blasted to my lock screen, this is concerning. That's just a lot of information to constantly see.
Beyond feeling like you can't even think straight or like you're too overwhelmed to take action on any one task, you may be able to recognize cognitive overload from other signs. If incoming messages make you feel frustrated or detached, for instance, no matter what they say, this could be happening to you. That's actually the symptom I experience most often, for what it's worth. When I'm overwhelmed by too much information, I find myself thinking, "What do you want?!" every time my phone lights up, before I even see who is reaching out. (Sorry, Mom.)
How I'm battling cognitive overload
A few other tried-and-true productivity approaches came to mind for me once I got a good grasp of what cognitive overload actually is. The one-touch rule of inbox management could be useful for you if you find that messages get you worked up. With that, you open each message as you get it and make an instant decision about what to do with the contents. It might seem counterintuitive to face each incoming message head-on if you're trying to avoid feeling burned out by the sheer volume of them, but I've found that when I see a message preview at the top of my screen and do nothing about it, it nags at me all day. Addressing it instantly helps me clear my mind and keep working.
Otherwise, the way you go about battling this is going to be pretty subjective, although I do have one more recommendation: If you're not familiar with the Pomodoro technique, get familiar now. With it, you work for a set amount of time (usually 25 minutes) before taking a small break (usually five). When you're in those focus sessions, you should be completely distraction-free, putting your devices in Do Not Disturb mode or even using specialized apps to block other, distracting apps. Knowing you have to work seriously for a certain amount of time can help get you in the zone and push you away from information and decision paralysis while knowing you eventually get a break can help you stay relaxed as you go.
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