Managing our cognitive load
Keep on keeping on
When we figure out something that works, we keep it and play it over and over again – process, behavior, reaction, a good tool, anything that seems to get the results we want. Many of us don’t even reconsider the results.
We keep on keeping on. Do it often enough, and it becomes habit. Do it long enough, and it can become a stability point — something that, if touched and attempted (or actually!) moved by another, can cause an unexpectedly strong reaction. Depending on the person, they can erupt in anger.
It’s a way to manage cognitive load. The process around the doing might be convoluted, prone to error if anyone else tries to replicate it, or even unsupported by logic (think along the lines of wearing certain socks while a favorite team is playing). But by leaning into it, by being certain of it and knowing exactly what to do to contribute to the preferred outcome, a person is fulfilled. They’ve done their part, and it’s off to do the thousand and one other things they need to do.
ouruborus, processing chain, reactions, tools
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Jarrett, C. (2020, November 13). Cognitive Load Theory: Explaining our fight for focus. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201103-cognitive-load-theory-explaining-our-fight-for-focus
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Hawthorne, B. S., Vella-Brodrick, D. A., & Hattie, J. (2019). Well-being as a cognitive load reducing agent: A review of the literature. Frontiers in Education, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00121
...habit...
Clear, J. (2019). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Penguin.
...stability point...
Wisdom for Life. Who Moved my Cheese? Animated Summary. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvYCLxqkfvY
Delgado, J. (2020, June 4). 8 types of resistance to change you should know. Jennifer Delgado Suárez. https://psychology-spot.com/types-of-resistance-to-change
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