In this article on how to reduce mental load, I share with you some tips that will help you improve the quality of your life, better manage your emotions and improve your efficiency at the same time.
But before we get to the tips, it’s important to define mental workload and realize its impact on your well-being and productivity.
What is mental load?
According to Dean et al (2021), mental workload is the combination of the cognitive work of family life, the thinking, planning, scheduling and organizing of family members, and the emotional work associated with this work, including feelings of care and responsibility for family members, but also the emotional impact of this work. According to these same authors, mental workload is distinct and unique in its combination of cognitive and emotional labor that manifests itself within and across time and space.
What are the consequences of an excessive mental workload?
Exposure to a heavy mental workload increases the risk of burnout and other mental health-related illnesses.
But mental workload that is too heavy and prolonged over time can also have negative effects on physical health. For example, Roman-Liu et al (2013) show that the relationship between mental loads and muscle tension is reflected mainly in the tension of the muscles of the arm and shoulder girdle and, to a lesser extent, in the muscles of the forearm.
Finally, mental workload reduces productivity and worsens working conditions.
How can you reduce your mental workload?
1 – Learn to manage your time better
Camacho & al. (2022) show that time pressure increases mental load and affects performance.
This means that if you don’t manage your time well, you’ll find it harder to make the right decisions, your actions will be less effective and you’ll feel more stressed.
A very effective way of avoiding this kind of situation is to plan in advance the activities you want to carry out the following day. This way, you no longer need to allocate your mental energies to deciding which task to start with. What’s more, you save time by taking action straight away. Last but not least, you’ll complete your scheduled tasks on time, boosting your motivation.
To learn how to manage your time better, you can make use of various time management tools and methods. These include the famous Eisenhower matrix. But the important thing to remember is that these methods are only the starting point for improving your organization.
My advice is to try out different time management methods and take from each what really helps you. Of course, this can’t replace the customized support offered by a time management coach, but it can bring you some benefits in your day-to-day life.
With the support of a productivity coach, you’ll be able to create your own customized organization system. I give some food for thought on this subject in my article on how to create an organization method.
Here are some time management tools you can try out to help you get organized. Alternatively, you can take our distance learning course on time management.
All in all, learning to make better use of your time is an excellent way of boosting your self-confidence at work and in your private life.
Actionable tip
Schedule your 3 most important activities of the day in the evening before going to bed, and carry them out according to your chnonotype. To find out more, take this test to discover your chronotype.
Real benefits: by applying this advice, one of my clients was able to get his work done in less time, which also improved his relationship as he was able to be more available for his wife and children after work.
2 – Play sports
Liu & al. (2015) show that regular physical activity reduces mental workload at work. The results of this study show that moderate-intensity physical training can have a persistent long-term effect in improving the activity of parasympathetic nervous system control in primary school teachers.
This means that physical activity reduces stress through the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our ability to relax and switch off mentally.
In short, take up sport on a regular basis to improve your well-being and protect your health. If you don’t like sport, try walking at least half an hour a day to help manage your mental load.
Speaking of time management, it’s worth pointing out how important it is to integrate it into our exercise routine. As previously mentioned, planning is an essential key to better time management. This practice can also be beneficial when you’re trying to integrate physical activity into your daily life on a regular basis.
By planning your workouts in advance, you not only ensure that you get them done, but also minimize the risk of procrastination or forgetfulness. Take the time each week to look at your schedule and think about when you can exercise. Whether it’s in the morning before work, on your lunch break, or in the evening after your daily obligations, the important thing is to find a time slot that suits you and stick to it.
Actionable tip
If you find it difficult to integrate exercise into your daily routine, start small.
For example, get into the habit of taking a short walk after dinner, or use your lunch break to do a yoga or stretching session.
In addition, it might be worth exploring activities you particularly enjoy – dancing, cycling, swimming, or even gardening can all be great ways to get moving while having a great time.
3 – Disconnect from work
As Quynh Anh Pham Ngoc (2017) points out, mental workload can also depend on the use of digital tools, which can lead to working hours being exceeded, immediate response to information flows and task interruptions, all of which can increase mental and cognitive workload.
For example, there are more and more people who can’t tear themselves away from their smartphones. If this is also your case, I invite you to read my article on overcoming smartphone addiction.
It’s therefore important to regain control of your habits by recreating a boundary between your professional and personal lives.
Doing so will improve your well-being and reduce the risks to your health.
To achieve this, you can set up routines and rituals for disconnection. By structuring your day in this way, you’ll create mental and physical boundaries between your work and your free time, helping to improve your overall well-being.
First of all, it’s essential to set clear working hours. If you work from home, it can be tempting to extend your working day well beyond normal hours.
On the other hand, this choice can easily lead to burnout. That’s why it’s essential to set work start and finish times, and stick to them as strictly as possible.
It’s also important to take regular breaks throughout the day to stretch, hydrate and rest your eyes.
At the end of your working day, switch off your computer and tidy up your workspace to signal to your brain that the working day is over.
It’s all about creating an environment that encourages relaxation and rest. A cluttered workspace can keep your mind in a state of work and stress, so make sure you keep it as organized as possible.
What’s more, having a tidy workspace is also important for keeping productivity high. To find out more, read my article on how to organize your office.
Finally, taking part in a relaxing activity can go a long way towards marking the transition between work and free time. Whether it’s reading a good book, a meditation session, a walk in the park, or simply listening to your favorite music, finding an activity that soothes you and helps you relax is essential.
This activity should be a daily ritual that you associate with the end of your working day, as a signal that you can now relax and concentrate on your personal life. If you prefer reading, I recommend books on personal development. If you’re looking for reading suggestions, I’ve put together an article on the best books on personal development.
Remember that these disconnection rituals are not a waste of time, but a necessity for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
By investing time in disconnecting, you contribute to your overall well-being and long-term effectiveness.
Actionable tip
You can use an “end-of-day box”. This is a physical box or designated space where you put away all your work tools at the end of your day – laptop, notes, files, etc.
This symbolic action of “putting away” your work helps signal to your brain that the working day is over and it’s time to relax.
It’s a simple but effective ritual that can help establish a clear boundary between your work and your personal life, especially if you work from home.
4 – Reduce the complexity of your tasks
Research shows that when mental load is high and people have insufficient mental resources, the quality of performance in carrying out a task decreases.
This means that if you want to reduce your mental load and increase your productivity, you can, for example, find simpler ways of performing a given task.
To lighten your computer workload, opt for automation. Computers are invaluable allies when it comes to completing recurring tasks, and there are a number of software programs and online services that can help you do just that.
For example, if you spend a lot of time replying to similar e-mails, you may find it useful to automate your replies. It’s possible to create response templates or automatic replies for these types of messages, a feature available on most e-mail services, to save time and lighten your mental load.
If certain functions or commands are used regularly on your computer, consider creating keyboard shortcuts. They enable you to access these functions more quickly, thus improving your efficiency.
Finally, just like a physical workspace, a digital workspace needs to be well organized. Make sure you keep your files and folders tidy, delete old and unnecessary files, and maintain a clean and clear virtual office. Good digital organization can greatly simplify your tasks and reduce your mental load.
Sometimes, the best way to reduce the complexity of a task is to delegate it to others.
Another time-consuming alternative is to improve your skill level in a given activity. This way, you can get the job done while limiting the use of your resources.
By giving priority to continuous training and lifelong learning, you boost your efficiency and confidence in carrying out tasks, thus reducing stress and cognitive overload.
Acquiring new skills or perfecting existing ones not only boosts your professional performance. It’s also a way of staying involved and motivated, making your work more stimulating and satisfying, and opening up new perspectives.
Thanks to the Internet, learning new skills has never been so accessible. Platforms such as Coursera, Khan Academy or LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of training courses in different fields, whether to improve your project management, programming or communication skills.
These platforms often allow you to take courses at your own pace, making them compatible with your schedule. Some courses are free, others reasonably priced, making lifelong learning accessible to all.
Among the skills that can help you in your work are the ability to actively listen to others to better cooperate at work. If you wish, you can take a distance learning course in active listening.
In short, finding strategies to simplify your work and getting into the habit of developing your skills are excellent ways of reducing your mental workload, improving your efficiency and your well-being.
Actionable tip
Create an “Optimization Toolbox”. This can be a place (physical, like a notebook, or digital, like a file on your computer) where you record any new skills you learn, task-simplifying tricks you discover, as well as ideas for improving your personal and professional organization.
At the beginning of each month, review your toolbox, put a new skill or tip into practice, and note the result. This will not only help you implement new ideas on a regular basis, but also visualize your progress, which can increase your motivation and reduce your mental load.
5 – Find a way to satisfy your needs
As the study by Bouterfas & Desrumeaux (2014) shows, when people manage to satisfy their most important needs in the performance of their work, they experience greater well-being at work. Although the study couldn’t prove a correlation between well-being and mental workload, we can assume that with a greater sense of satisfaction at work, these people have more cognitive and emotional resources to cope with their overall workload.
Think about your most important needs in your life and in your work. The process of identifying your personal needs is a journey of introspection and self-understanding. Each of us has distinct requirements and desires, determined by our character, our experiences and our future desires. To achieve true professional fulfillment and well-being, it’s essential to understand yourself and determine these precise needs.
First of all, understanding your character is essential. Are you more introverted or extroverted? Do you prefer team dynamics or autonomy? What really stimulates you? What are your strengths and areas for improvement? Moments of personal contemplation, meditation practices or writing activities could be valuable tools for exploring these facets of your personality.
What’s more, your previous experiences also influence your current needs. For example, if you’ve been through periods of intense stress or work overload, you may have a greater need for serenity and balance in your professional life. Spending some time reflecting on these experiences, perhaps by keeping a diary, could help you understand how your past experiences have shaped your current needs.
Finally, think about your ambitions and goals for the future. Setting specific goals and visualizing your future can help you understand what needs to be done to achieve these aspirations.
What do you hope to achieve? Where do you see yourself in five years?
What skills or knowledge would you like to acquire?
What needs do you have to satisfy to feel good at work?
If you can’t answer these questions, you can call on a life coach to help you find the answers to these and many other questions.
If you can’t answer these questions, it may help to take some time to identify your values. To help you do this, I suggest you read my article on how to identify your values.
Actionable tip
Set up a “reflective journal”. In this journal, you can set aside time each day to explore your feelings and thoughts about your work, past experiences, future aspirations and current needs.
This regular practice of self-reflection could help you clarify your needs, understand what really motivates you and identify the steps you need to take to improve your well-being and job satisfaction.
6 – Assess the impact of technology
The study by Pimentel (2022) shows the impact of technostress on mental workload. According to this author, when technology becomes a source of tension in the workplace, working conditions deteriorate. The presence of an overload resulting from the use of technology has an influence on the way in which the individual works.
influence the way in which the individual perceives his or her work environment, which will be perceived as being more demanding in relation to the task at hand.
It is therefore imperative to acquire a solid command of the technological tools you use on a daily basis. Knowing how to handle these tools effectively can help lighten your mental load considerably. If the use of a certain software or application generates stress due to a lack of mastery, it would be beneficial to invest some time in familiarizing yourself with its functionalities. This knowledge can increase your efficiency and reduce your stress levels.
And don’t forget the effect of technology on your physical health. Spending many hours in front of a screen can lead to health problems such as back pain, visual problems and musculoskeletal disorders. It’s therefore essential to adopt correct posture, take regular breaks and keep physically active. These habits help to preserve your health and reduce your mental workload.
Identify the application or device that causes you the most stress or distraction and voluntarily limit its use. For example, if you find you spend a lot of time checking your e-mails or social networks, set specific times of the day for this activity and avoid checking them outside these periods. Doing this will enable you to regain control over your technology use, reduce distractions and improve your concentration, which should in turn help lighten your mental load.
Actionable tip
Establish a “technology-free hour” every day. During this hour, disconnect completely from all your digital devices – computers, phones, tablets, etc. Use this time to focus on non-technological activities, such as reading, writing, meditation, or even a walk.
This break can help you minimize technostress and reduce your mental load, while increasing your focus and productivity when you return to your work.
7 – Use emotions to your advantage
The emotions you experience can have an impact on your mental workload, as shown by Le Gonidec’s (2020) study of people working remotely during the Covid 19 period.
Learning to experience emotions by putting into words what you’re feeling at any given moment of your day at work or in your private life, remains an excellent way of reducing your mental load and freeing up the resources you need to accomplish what’s important to you.
Acknowledging and understanding your emotions are crucial steps to effectively managing your mental load. Every feeling we experience transmits a message which, if interpreted correctly, can guide us towards sound decisions while reducing stress and cognitive overload.
When it comes to managing more unpleasant emotions, acceptance is the first step. Rather than repressing or neglecting them, we need to admit them and experience them fully. Mindfulness meditation is a technique that can help, as it encourages non-judgmental attention and presence to what’s going on inside us, including our feelings.
What’s more, expressing your emotions – whether through conversation, journaling, art or even exercise – can help you release them and reduce the tension they can cause. What’s more, adopting a broader perspective can also be beneficial: remembering that emotions are ephemeral and that difficult moments pass can help you deal with them more serenely.
As for positive emotions, a study by Fredrickson & Joiner (2002) indicates that they broaden our field of attention and thought, which can help reduce mental workload. According to the authors, these positive emotions, such as joy, interest and satisfaction, can trigger what they call an “upward spiral” towards better mental health and well-being. By broadening the scope of our attention and thinking, these positive emotions can help us take a wider perspective, see more options and possibilities, be more open and receptive, and foster a more creative and flexible approach to problem-solving.
Although the study does not explicitly address mental load, the implications of these findings for mental load are significant. Indeed, by facilitating broader vision and creative problem-solving, positive emotions could help reduce mental burden. This could happen because a broader perspective can make tasks less burdensome and more manageable, and creative problem solving can help find solutions that are more effective and less consuming of mental resources.
Practically speaking, you may want to cultivate positive emotions in your daily life. For example, take a moment every day to recognize what you are thankful for, do activities you enjoy, or spend time with people who give you joy.
Sometimes the best way to manage emotions is to hire an emotion management coach.
Actionable tip
Establish a daily ritual of emotional self-assessment. Creating a daily emotional “check-in” ritual can be a useful strategy for managing your mental load.
Every day, at a time that suits you, give yourself a moment to focus on your emotions. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and pay attention to your internal sensations.
Identify and name the emotions you feel, without judgment, simply by accepting them as they are.
These check-ins are an opportunity to explore the connection between your emotions and your mental load. Ask yourself what messages these emotions can convey about your mental well-being.
The idea is not to change your feelings, but to become aware of their presence and impact. By cultivating this emotional awareness, you will be better equipped to understand how your emotions affect your mental load.
With practice, these emotional “check-ins” can become a valuable tool to navigate your daily life more easily. You can complement them with other wellness practices, such as meditation or writing.
In short, emotional “check-in” is a simple but effective practice for a better connection with yourself and a finer management of the mental load.
Conclusion on how to reduce mental load
In conclusion, managing mental load is a personal and constant quest, requiring awareness and deliberate action. Each of us can explore different ways to ease our mental burden and improve our quality of life. Here is a summary of the seven key tips we covered in this article:
- Learn to better manage your time. Time optimization is an essential step to prevent feeling overwhelmed and to improve productivity.
- Exercise. Regular physical activity not only promotes physical health, but also mental well-being by reducing stress and stimulating your mood.
- Disconnect from work Work-life balance is crucial to maintaining your mental energy and commitment to work.
- Reduce the complexity of your tasks. By simplifying your tasks and eliminating distractions, you can focus your mental energy on what really matters.
- Find a way to meet your needs. Understanding and responding to your individual needs can lead to greater fulfillment and a reduction in mental burden.
- Evaluate the impact of technologies. Conscious and controlled use of technology can avoid technostress and promote efficiency.
- Use emotions to your advantage. Emotions, whether positive or negative, are valuable indicators of our mental state. Learning to recognize, accept and express them can help ease the mental burden.
Take these tips as tools to use on your way, and remember that the most important thing is to find out what works best for you. Good luck with your mental load management journey!
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Français : Comment réduire la charge mentale : 7 stratégies éprouvées pour alléger votre esprit
Italiano: Come ridurre il carico di lavoro mentale: 7 strategie comprovate per alleggerire la mente