Overcoming the Overwhelm: Managing Cognitive Load with the "Too Many Apps" Approach

Have you ever noticed your phone getting sluggish when too many apps are running at once? The screen takes longer to respond, apps might freeze, and sometimes your phone even gets uncomfortably warm.

This happens in your brain too. Your mental capacity fatigues when you are overloaded with too many tasks and thoughts. 

Today, I'd like to share an approach I've been using to help students understand their own cognitive processing, particularly those with learning and attention challenges. The response has been remarkable - students not only grasp the concept quickly but also begin to advocate for themselves using this framework.

What Is Cognitive Load?

Simply put, cognitive load refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in working memory. Think of it as how hard your brain is working to process, understand, and remember information at any given moment.

Cognitive scientists typically describe three types of cognitive load:

1. Intrinsic Cognitive Load This is the inherent difficulty of what's being learned.

For students, this looks like:

• A fourth grader tackling multi-digit multiplication for the first time

• A high schooler interpreting Shakespeare's language

• A student with dyslexia decoding an unfamiliar text

• A child learning to coordinate multiple steps in a science experiment

Intrinsic load can't be eliminated (the material is what it is), but it can be managed. For example, a student learning algebra might start with simpler equations before tackling more complex ones. The key is recognizing when the intrinsic load of a task exceeds a student's current capacity and providing appropriate scaffolding.

2. Extraneous Cognitive Load This is the unnecessary mental effort created by how information is presented or by environmental factors.

For students, this might be:

• Trying to listen to instructions while the classroom noise is high

• Reading worksheets with cluttered layouts and multiple fonts

• Navigating between different platforms for a single assignment

• Attempting to take notes while simultaneously processing new information

• Managing sensory sensitivities while trying to focus on academic content

Extraneous load is where we have the most opportunity to help students. By eliminating these unnecessary mental demands, we free up working memory for actual learning. Something as simple as providing a written outline of steps can dramatically reduce extraneous load for many students.

3. Germane Cognitive Load This is the beneficial mental effort that contributes to creating lasting learning and schema building.

For students, this includes:

• Making connections between new material and existing knowledge

• Creating mental models to understand complex concepts

• Applying strategic thinking to solve problems in novel ways

• Reflecting on their learning and identifying patterns

• Transferring skills from one context to another

Germane load is the "good kind" of mental effort that we want to encourage, but only after reducing extraneous load and managing intrinsic load. When a student says, "This is challenging, but I'm figuring it out!" they're likely experiencing productive germane load.

For students with attention and learning disabilities, these loads can accumulate quickly, leading to frustration, reduced comprehension, and sometimes behavioral challenges.

The "Phone Apps" Analogy: Explaining Working Memory

When I introduce this concept to students, I ask them to imagine their brain as a smartphone. Working memory is like your phone's active processing capacity - it can only handle so many operations at once.

"Think about what happens when you have twenty apps running on your phone," I tell them. "Everything slows down, right? Your brain works the same way."

I then have students list all the "apps" running in their brains during a typical class:

• 👉 Processing the teacher's instructions

• 👉 Filtering classroom noises

• 👉 Managing social anxieties

• 👉 Decoding text

• 👉 Organizing their thoughts

• 👉 Monitoring time

• 👉 Ignoring physical discomfort

• 👉 Taking notes

For neurotypical students, some of these processes are nearly automatic. But for students with learning differences, each "app" might require significant conscious effort. Just as your phone battery drains faster with multiple apps running, students experience mental fatigue when too many cognitive processes compete for attention.

Signs of Cognitive Overload

Watch for these indicators that a student might be struggling with too many mental "apps" open:

• 😵‍💫 Increasing frustration or emotional outbursts

• 😵‍💫 "Zoning out" or appearing to daydream

• 😵‍💫 Difficulty following multi-step instructions

• 😵‍💫 Starting tasks but quickly abandoning them

• 😵‍💫 Repeatedly asking for directions to be repeated

• 😵‍💫 Declining performance as the day progresses

• 😵‍💫 Unusual fatigue after school

Many parents tell me they observe these signs during homework time, when students have already spent a full day managing their cognitive load.

Considerations for Students with Attention and Learning Challenges

The "too many apps" problem is often magnified for students with learning and attention challenges. Here's why cognitive load management is especially critical for these learners:

Baseline Cognitive Load Is Already Higher

Students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences typically operate with several "background apps" running at all times:

• Attentional regulation - Constantly working to maintain focus or manage distractibility

• Processing differences - Tasks that may be automatic for neurotypical peers (like decoding text or organizing thoughts) require conscious effort

• Executive functioning demands - Time management, task initiation, and organization require significant mental bandwidth

• Emotional regulation - Managing frustration, anxiety, or self-consciousness about learning challenges

These background processes consume working memory before any academic tasks are even introduced, leaving less capacity for new learning.

The Threshold for Overload Is Lower

While all students have cognitive limits, those with learning and attention challenges may reach their threshold more quickly. What appears as "not trying" or "giving up too easily" is often a working memory system that has reached capacity.

Hidden Cognitive Costs of Accommodation

Even well-intentioned accommodations can sometimes add cognitive load. For example:

• Using a text-to-speech tool requires learning the technology interface

• Moving to a different location for testing means navigating social explanations

• Breaking tasks into smaller steps may require tracking multiple deadlines instead of one

When implementing supports, we need to consider their cognitive cost alongside their benefits.

Building Self-Advocacy Through Understanding

When students with learning and attention challenges understand cognitive load, they gain language to explain their experiences rather than internalizing negative self-perceptions. "My brain apps are overloaded" is vastly preferable to "I'm stupid" or "I can't do this."

The most powerful moment in this work comes when students begin to proactively manage their cognitive load:

• 👏🏻 "Can I have the instructions in writing so I don't have to hold them in my working memory?"

• 👏🏻 "I notice I'm getting overwhelmed. Can I take a two-minute break to reset?"

• 👏🏻 "This environment has too many distractions for me right now. Can I work somewhere quieter?"

By teaching cognitive load concepts, we're giving these students not just coping strategies, but a framework for understanding their learning differences that emphasizes working with their brain rather than fighting against it.

Practical Strategies: Closing Unnecessary "Apps"

Here are some approaches I've found effective in reducing cognitive load:

For Teachers:

• Break instructions into smaller steps rather than giving all directions at once

• Provide visual supports alongside verbal instructions

• Allow "brain breaks" for students to process and reset

• Remove unnecessary visual clutter from learning materials

• Explicitly teach students to recognize when they're experiencing overload

For Parents:

• Create a distraction-free homework environment

• Use timers for focused work intervals (15-20 minutes) followed by short breaks

• Ask your child to verbalize which "apps" feel most demanding

• Help prioritize tasks rather than multitasking

• Recognize when it's time to put schoolwork aside and return with a refreshed mind

For Students:

• Practice saying, "I need to close some apps right now."

• Learn to identify personal signs of cognitive overload

• Request written instructions when verbal directions feel overwhelming

• Use fidget tools that help rather than hinder focus

• Develop personalized reset strategies (deep breathing, stretching, brief walks)

  
  

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Quick Tips: Try These This Week!

• 🔑 Have students draw or list the "apps" currently running in their brains - use the free download below!!!

• 🔑 Create a simple hand signal that students can use to indicate cognitive overload

• 🔑 Teach one simple "app closing" technique, like 5-count breathing

• 🔑 Provide a quiet corner where students can go to reduce sensory input

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Cognitive Load Power Pack

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Understanding cognitive load isn't just theoretical—it's a practical framework that helps students recognize their limits and advocate for their needs. When students tell me, "I have too many apps open right now" or "I need to close some brain apps before starting this assignment," they're demonstrating self-awareness that will serve them well throughout life.

Next month, we'll explore specific strategies for building working memory capacity over time. Until then, I encourage you to introduce the "apps" analogy to your students and observe how it helps them articulate their cognitive experiences.

As always, I welcome your questions and observations!