Brain Got Too Many Tabs Open? Outsmart Your Studying Overwhelm Today

Struggling to study because your brain feels overloaded? You sit down to start a task, but suddenly you’re blank, distracted, or stuck in a loop of tea-making and phone-checking. You know you’ve got lots to do, but your brain just won’t cooperate and you're deep into the dreaded studying overwhelm.

In this episode of Chloe Made Me Study, we’re tackling studying overwhelm head-on—what it is, where it comes from, and how you can reduce it. You’ll learn about working memory and cognitive load, and I’ll share easy, practical ways to free up mental space and make progress again.

This post originated as a podcast episode which you can listen to below, watch on YouTube or search for episode 166 of the Chloe Made Me Study podcast. Or, if you’re more of a learn-by-reading student, carry on for the blog version based on the podcast script.

Ways to listen:

• Listen in the player above

• Click to listen on Apple Podcasts.

• Click to listen on Spotify.

What is Studying Overwhelm?

Studying overwhelm happens when your brain reaches capacity. You might feel stuck, foggy, restless, or frozen. Instead of focusing, you stare at the screen, scroll through your phone or open a new tab (or twelve). You want to study, but your thoughts feel tangled and impossible to sort.

This feeling is called cognitive overload. It’s incredibly common—especially for students with ADHD, Dyslexia or other learning differences, but it can happen to any student, especially during stressful times.

What’s Going On in Your Brain?

To understand studying overwhelm, let’s talk memory—and don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple.

We have:

• Sensory memory – fleeting input from our environment

• Short-term memory – lasts about 20–30 seconds

• Working memory – your brain’s mental “desk” where you hold and process information

• Long-term memory – where more permanent knowledge lives

Working memory is key for studying. It’s what lets you read a sentence and remember how it started, follow an argument in a journal article, or plan and write an assignment.

But here’s the problem: working memory is small. It’s easily overwhelmed, especially when we try to juggle too much at once—like switching between tabs, trying to remember every task, or editing while writing.

Cognitive Load: Intrinsic vs. Extraneous

Cognitive load is the amount of effort your working memory is under. There are two types:

• Intrinsic load – how complex the actual material is (e.g. evaluating theories in an essay)

• Extraneous load – anything that makes studying harder than it needs to be (e.g. distractions, unclear instructions)

To reduce studying overwhelm, we need to manage both types.

Real-Life Example: When I Overloaded Myself

While writing up my teaching portfolio (53,000+ words!), I overloaded my brain by trying to edit while writing. I was trying to follow strict formatting rules, make my writing perfect, and meet every requirement as I typed. Unsurprisingly, my brain froze.

What helped? Separating writing and editing, and asking myself clear, specific questions to guide the writing process. Once I focused on just getting words down first, things flowed much more easily.

Strategies to Reduce Intrinsic Load (Make the Work Simpler)

• Break big tasks into smaller steps
  Instead of “Proofread essay”, try:

  • Check all in-text references have a corresponding full reference

  • Confirm consistent font size and style

  • Make sure each paragraph links to the question
    

• Rewrite instructions as questions
  Instead of “Reflect on the group project”, ask:

  • What went well and what didn’t in the group project?

  • What would I do differently next time?
    

• Separate writing from editing
  Get your ideas down first. Use placeholders (e.g. “[find reference]”) or colour-code sections to come back to later. Don’t let editing derail your flow.
  

• Work in one document if possible
  Avoid flipping between multiple files. Keep everything in one space to reduce the demand on your working memory.
  

Strategies to Reduce Extraneous Load (Clear the Clutter)

• Clear your physical and digital workspace
  Tidy your desk. Close browser tabs and documents you don’t need. Start fresh with only the essentials open.
  

• Minimise distractions
  Use noise-cancelling headphones. Put your phone in another room. Use apps or timers to block social media if needed.
  

• Try split screen or use a second monitor
  Keep your research on one side and your draft on the other. This helps your brain stay focused and reduces memory overload.

And Don’t Forget…

• Take breaks
  If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, step away. Even a 5-minute walk can help reset your brain and reduce studying overwhelm.
  

• Reach out for support
  If instructions are unclear even after you break them down, ask your tutor for clarification. This can massively reduce cognitive load.

You’re Not a Bad Student

If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I just focus and get this done?”—you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. Your brain is doing its best under too much strain.

Managing cognitive load is like managing tabs in a browser. If you’ve got 37 open, your computer slows down. Same with your brain.

So next time you feel the fog creep in, ask yourself:

What tabs can I close right now to make this easier on myself?