Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process information. When we learn something new, our brain has to work hard to understand and remember it. If the information is too complex or overwhelming, it can lead to confusion and hinder learning. This is why breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable parts can help improve understanding. There are three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is the inherent difficulty of the material, extraneous load is the unnecessary information that distracts us, and germane load is the effort we put into learning. Balancing these loads is essential for effective learning.