Our brains are constantly bombarded with new ideas, concepts, and information. We are always learning, whether it be in a traditional classroom, an e-learning course, a virtual seminar, or even casually scrolling through social media. While this ever-present access to knowledge offers great potential, it comes with a significant downside – cognitive overload.
Cognitive overload occurs when the demand on our working memory exceeds our mental capacity. This leads to confusion, frustration, reduced retention, and, over time, mental fatigue or burnout.
Or, simply put, stress.
In fact, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, 57% of employees indicated experiencing negative impacts from work-related stress, including emotional exhaustion and lack of motivation.
This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for learning designers, facilitators, and organizational leaders. If we want our learning experiences to be effective and supportive, we must design with the brain in mind.
Understanding Cognitive Load
To avoid cognitive overload, we must first understand what cognitive load is. Introduced by John Sweller in the 1980s, Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) breaks it down into three types:
- Intrinsic Load – The inherent difficulty of the content itself
- Extraneous Load – The way the content is presented or the environment in which it’s delivered
- Germane Load – The mental effort devoted to processing, understanding, and integrating new knowledge
While we can’t always reduce intrinsic load, as some topics are naturally complex, we can minimize extraneous load and enhance germane load through intentional design. This doesn’t just improve learning outcomes; it reduces stress, fosters a sense of progress, and promotes a more sustainable relationship with learning.
Mental Wellness Starts With Respecting Limits
When learners are tasked with juggling dense content, unfamiliar tools, and tight timelines, it introduces additional stress that undermines the intent of the learning experience, the learner’s ability to focus on comprehension, and, in sum, their mental well-being. This is especially true in professional environments, where learning is layered on top of a full workload.
Respecting learners’ cognitive load limits means recognizing that more content doesn’t equal more learning. When we reduce clutter and focus on what matters most, we create a sense of clarity and control.
Here are seven key strategies to create learning experiences that support mental wellness by avoiding cognitive overload:
1. Chunk It Out
Trying to deliver everything at once overwhelms learners. Instead, break content into manageable “chunks.” This technique, known as *chunking*, aligns with how our brains naturally process information. For example:
- Replace a 90-minute training session with three 30-minute modules
- Organize lessons around 3–5 key takeaways instead of trying to cover every detail
This approach enhances retention, encourages a sense of progress, and reduces the anxiety of trying to “grasp it all” at once.
2. Design with the End in Mind
Begin with clear learning outcomes and let them drive your content choices. When every slide, video, or discussion point is anchored to a purpose, it becomes easier to eliminate distractions or “nice-to-haves” that may overload the learner without adding value.
Ask yourself:
- What do learners *need* to understand or be able to do?
- What can be simplified, sequenced, or scaffolded to support that outcome?
- What can be offered as optional or supplementary content instead?
Focused design reduces the risk of cognitive overload and helps boost confidence as learners build mastery of the topic.
3. Be Intentional
Distractions abound, especially in digital learning. Pop-up videos, scrolling text, background music, or cluttered interfaces can exhaust working memory.
Offer intentional, consistent design that directs attention where it matters. Use whitespace strategically, avoid unnecessary animations, and present one concept at a time. Simple changes, like muting notifications during a session, can make a huge difference.
Mindful pacing is another way to manage cognitive demands. Allow space between concepts for reflection, pauses in videos for note-taking, or brief “mental reset” breaks in live sessions.
4. Don’t Split Attention
Ever found yourself struggling to keep up with a presentation where slides are filled with blocks of text as the presenter tries to convey key points? This is an example of split attention, where we put the brain in a dilemma as to what information it should be prioritizing and ingesting.
To avoid this, consider:
- Presentation slides with minimal text that are used as launching points for discussion
- E-learning courses that use text, audio, and/or video to complement the information being presented rather than simply for the sake of switching modalities or redundancy
5. Give a Bit of Clay
Learning should never be a one-sided conversation. Use practices like teach-back activities, reflections, etc., to empower learners to sculpt how they input into their learning experience. This helps learners connect to new ideas with existing knowledge, deepening understanding, and a reinforced sense of relevance. Some additional examples include:
- Quick journaling prompts after a module
- Discussion forums for asynchronous courses
- Debriefs after a group activity
6. Support Autonomy and Flexibility
Again, learning should be a dialogue, and the more autonomy learners have over how they engage in that conversation, the more meaningful and impactful it will be. When learners feel in control, they’re more motivated and less stressed. Offering flexibility in how, when, or even what they learn can reduce anxiety and increase engagement.
Consider:
- Self-paced modules or asynchronous options
- Optional paths for deeper exploration
- Clear navigation so learners always know where they are and what’s next
- Ease of access to learning and continued progress
Even in structured environments, small choices (e.g., choosing between two case studies) give learners a sense of ownership over their journey.
7. Normalize Mental Breaks and Set Boundaries
One of the most powerful ways to support mental wellness in learning is to honor the need for rest. Encourage breaks not just between learning sessions, but within them.
This can look like:
- Built-in timers or prompts to stretch or hydrate
- Mindfulness moments at the start of a session
- Reflective walks during the breaks in an onsite workshop
- A prompt halfway through an e-learning that validates learners’ “stepping away” when needed
From an organizational standpoint, it’s important to ensure that learning initiatives aren’t layered on top of unrealistic workloads. Learning should be treated as essential, not optional.
Learning as a Wellness Practice
Designing learning experiences that respect cognitive health not only improves knowledge transfer but also promotes a culture of care. When people feel mentally safe and supported in their learning, they’re more likely to take risks, engage deeply, feel confident, and adopt a growth mindset. In this way, learning becomes more than a task to complete. It becomes a wellness practice: building clarity and capability while reducing stressors, promoting meaningful engagement, and creating space for sustained growth.