Forget the next productivity app — learn the cognitive principle Da Vinci used to turn chaos into clarity and escape mental overload for good
Summary
Key Takeaways
1. George Miller's "Magic Number Seven" (1956): Your brain processes 48 thoughts per minute but can only handle 7 simultaneously in working memory - any additional thoughts create cognitive overload. 2. Zeigarnik's "Open Loops": Uncaptured thoughts occupy working memory until they're documented in a trusted system, regardless of their importance or urgency. Each open loop consumes one of your seven available mental slots. Our unique 4-step "COPE" Method: 1. Capture all thoughts in one unified system 2. Organise based on actionability and importance 3. Prioritise according to cognitive load requirements 4. Evaluate weekly to maintain system efficiency 3. Miller's Cognitive Load Theory explains task interference: The brain processes all thoughts with equal priority in working memory, whether they're strategic decisions or simple reminders. 4. Differentiate tasks based on deep- and busywork. Match high-demand activities with optimal mental hours, while scheduling routine work during lower energy periods. 5. The Weekly Review maintains system effectiveness: Regular processing of captured thoughts prevents mental bandwidth overflow and resets your cognitive workspace.
Actions
Watch the next lesson on Da Vinci's Vessel where we'll implement the first phase of the COPE Method to capture and control the 50,000 thoughts hitting your brain daily.
Resources
Sources
1. Miller, G. A. (1956). "The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information." Psychological Review. 2. Zeigarnik, B. (1927). "On Finished and Unfinished Tasks." Psychologische Forschung.
