How can you manage cognitive load in decision-making?

1 Identify the source of cognitive load

Cognitive load can come from different sources, such as the intrinsic difficulty of the task, the amount and quality of the information, the format and presentation of the information, and the distractions and interruptions in the environment. To manage cognitive load, you need to identify the source and determine if it is necessary, relevant, and helpful for your decision-making. For example, you can reduce the intrinsic load by breaking down the problem into smaller and simpler steps, or you can reduce the extraneous load by filtering out irrelevant or redundant information.

2 Organize and prioritize information

Another way to manage cognitive load is to organize and prioritize the information you need for decision-making. This can help you avoid information overload, which can overwhelm your working memory and impair your judgment. You can use various tools and techniques to organize and prioritize information, such as mind maps, outlines, tables, charts, diagrams, matrices, or checklists. These can help you visualize, structure, compare, and evaluate the information more easily and effectively.

3 Use memory aids and external resources

Managing cognitive load also involves using memory aids and external resources to support your decision-making. Memory aids are devices or methods that help you recall or retrieve information from your long-term memory, such as mnemonics, acronyms, analogies, or stories. External resources are sources of information or assistance that you can access outside your own memory, such as books, websites, databases, experts, or peers. These can help you supplement, verify, or enhance the information you have for decision-making.

4 Apply heuristics and rules of thumb

Heuristics and rules of thumb are mental shortcuts or general guidelines that help you simplify and speed up your decision-making. They can help you manage cognitive load by reducing the complexity and uncertainty of the problem, and by providing a quick and easy way to reach a satisfactory solution. However, heuristics and rules of thumb can also introduce biases and errors in your decision-making, so you need to use them with caution and awareness. You should also check the validity and applicability of the heuristics and rules of thumb for each situation.

5 Monitor and regulate your emotions

Emotions can affect your cognitive load and your decision-making in positive or negative ways. Positive emotions can enhance your motivation, creativity, and confidence, while negative emotions can impair your attention, reasoning, and performance. To manage cognitive load, you need to monitor and regulate your emotions, and avoid letting them interfere with your decision-making. You can use various strategies to manage your emotions, such as self-awareness, mindfulness, relaxation, reframing, or seeking feedback.

6 Review and reflect on your decision-making process

The final strategy to manage cognitive load is to review and reflect on your decision-making process. This can help you learn from your experience, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your decision-making skills. You can review and reflect on your decision-making process by asking yourself questions such as: What was the problem and the goal? How did you gather, organize, and evaluate the information? What heuristics, rules of thumb, or memory aids did you use? How did you cope with your emotions? What was the outcome and the feedback? How can you improve your decision-making in the future?

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?