The amount of mental effort being used in your working memory at any given time. If you’ve ever felt your brain get tired while trying to understand a complicated textbook chapter or multitask during homework, you’ve experienced heavy cognitive load. Basically, when too much information or too many tasks are juggled at once, your brain can get overloaded (imagine trying to carry a pile of books that’s too tall!). Study techniques like simplifying notes, learning in stages, or removing distractions can lighten the cognitive load, making it easier to learn new info without overwhelm.
Keywords: cognitive load, information overload, mental effort
