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Cognitive load

The total mental work a setup demands; past a limit, extra screens, instruments, and indicators reduce performance rather than improving it.

Working memory is small. Every additional chart, open position, and unresolved question consumes part of it, and the part consumed is not available for the decision in front of you.

Overloaded traders show a recognisable pattern: missed signals in plain sight, forgetting to place a stop, mixing up two instruments, and a sense of busyness with no output. The usual cause is too many markets watched at once rather than any lack of ability.

Cut inputs deliberately. One or two instruments, a single timeframe for decisions with one for context, and a written plan that answers the routine questions before the session removes load where it matters.

Related: decision-fatigue, screen-hypnosis, checklist-discipline, analysis-paralysis

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