The Relation of Cognitive Load Theory and Deep Work

Cognitive Load Theory (A Primer)

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) was given it’s first exposure in 1988 by John Sweller. It built off of a line of research dating back to George Miller’s work detailing the limitations of our working (short term) memory. The simple understanding is that our brains are extremely limited in what they can do in the short term, yet nearly unlimited in what they can store for the long term. As CLT developed, three clear classes of cognitive load were identified that provide great relevance to those of us trying to do deep work or apply deliberate practice to any area of our life. Those classes are:

1. Intrinsic
2. Germane
3. Extraneous

Intrinsic Cognitive Load

This could easily be called inherent load. This is anything that is simply built into the knowledge, skill, etc that we are trying to acquire. The level of intrinsic load depends greatly on both the difficulty of the subject and the experience level or prior understanding of the learner. Calculus is intrinsically more difficult than long division, but even more so for someone who hasn’t yet taken an algebra class.

Germane Cognitive Load

Another good term would be relevant. Germane load consists of the activities, practices, etc that relate to the subject at hand in a manner that most efficiently form schema in our brain. Learning spelling, grammar, and pronunciation are all germane to language learning, while often times the nonsensical phrases used in language courses are not. No, Duolingo, I don’t need to know how to say the duck is eating the mouse in German.

The better the quality of the germane load activities, the more quickly we move information from short to long term memory and form schema that make learning related material that much easier.

Extraneous Cognitive Load

Irrelevant, distracting, or contrary to the subject would apply here. Don’t put a picture of a funny dog meme in the middle of your PowerPoint presentation of the company’s latest financial quarter. Don’t use primarily verbal descriptions in a class on a visual art. Don’t spend 10 minutes playing drums after spending an hour watching videos of other drummers. As often as possible, match the practice or activity to the most natural expression of the topic or skill you’re trying to teach or acquire.

CLT & Deep Work

The relationship should be obvious from the short descriptions above. If you’re working deeply on improving your fitness, then you need to block out as many distractions as you can while running, lifting, etc. If you’re writing a journal article then close your email client, turn off notifications, gather the relevant research, and start thinking and writing.

Reading a book with understanding requires carving out consistent time to read, choosing a book, and finding a system to highlight and summarize important and interesting points. Having your phone next to you, with 85 social media notifications pinging every 32 seconds, is completely extraneous to the task at hand. Your reading level and the difficulty of the book provide intrinsic cognitive load. The schedule and system you put into place should provide germane cognitive load. Anything outside of that is a distraction to one level or another.

Writing an article is increasingly intrinsically difficult depending on the venue you want to be published in, the subject matter you’ve chosen, and your own current level of writing ability and understanding of the content. Selecting appropriate resources to inform the article, setting aside time to write the various drafts and revisions, and potentially collaborating with other authors is germane to the process and can reduce the intrinsic load if well devised. Anything beyond that is likely extraneous and will probably reduce the quality of the writing and lengthen the overall time spent putting the final draft together.

This same basic filter can be applied to a variety of topics from learning skills such as woodworking, playing guitar, or running a marathon to intellectual pursuits like learning a language, writing a novel, or studying an era of history. Figure out, as best you can, what’s intrinsic to the task at hand. Look for examples of germane practices that help you gain the skill or knowledge you want to gain. Viciously eliminate the standard distractions (social media, 52 hours of football on TV every week, scanning your favorite home improvement website for 5 hours to find the “perfect” mailbox) that place extraneous cognitive load on your working memory so that you amplify your ability to improve in whatever area you’ve chosen.