How to Use AI Without Overloading Your Brain
So, we all have AI. It can help us work faster, process information, and save time. But I've noticed something interesting lately - pretty much everyone who is using AI extensively also complains that they feel completely exhausted. Here is the important question: are we really becoming more productive with AI, or are we just creating more work and stress for ourselves?
About 100 years ago, an economist called William Stanley Jevons studied coal production. He noticed that when coal became more efficient to use, people did not consume less of it.
Quite the opposite. Because it became cheaper and more efficient, more companies started using it, and overall consumption increased. This became known as the Jevons Paradox.
And this is a little bit what is happening with AI today.
We think, “Great, AI can do so much work for me, so now I will be more efficient.” Yes, but only if we use it in the proper way. Otherwise, we risk creating more work and, most importantly, even more cognitive overload for our brains.
What happens when we use too much AI?
There is a phenomenon that researchers call “brain fry” (a study was published in HBR in March 2026). People who use AI intensively, especially when managing multiple AI agents, report brain fog, headaches, slower decision-making, and increased mental effort.
Think about it. Imagine you have 10 or 15 AI agents working for you. Sounds fantastic, right? But all of them are bringing you information, and you are the one who needs to check it, verify it, and decide whether it is correct.
So your multitasking actually increases. And remember, humans are not good at multitasking. We quickly switch between tasks, and every decision takes energy.
When we have too much information and too many choices, our brains become overwhelmed. We start making impulsive decisions, procrastinating, or simply asking ChatGPT, “Tell me what I should do.”
And this is where we need to be careful. We should not outsource our thinking to AI.
AI should help you think, not think for you
So, where is AI useful?
First, it is great at gathering and processing information. Think of AI as your super-fast junior analyst. It can help you collect data, summarise documents, and handle repetitive tasks.
Second, you can use it as a brainstorming partner. Instead of simply asking it to generate ideas, ask it to challenge your ideas. Tell it, “Imagine you are my worst critic. Look at my presentation and tell me what is wrong with it.”
This is how AI can help you think better.
But when it comes to making the final decision, this is the part you want to keep for yourself. AI can give you information and different perspectives, but you need to evaluate them, use your critical thinking, and decide what makes sense.
And very importantly, don't blindly trust AI. Stay curious. Be open to different perspectives and recognise that AI can be right about some things and wrong about others.
Your brain needs recovery, too
There is another important thing we often forget: our brains need time to recover.
Unlike computers, human attention is cyclical. It goes up and down throughout the day, and we only have a few hours when we can really perform at our best. This is the time we want to protect for our most demanding work.
But what do we usually do? We schedule meetings one after another, check emails during lunch, and use our breaks to scroll through our phones.
The problem is that checking your phone is not really recovery. Your brain is still receiving and processing information. It needs time to digest everything, and that means having no new input for a while.
If instead of recovering, you are checking what your AI agent has done, this is not a recovery - this is more cognitive load for our brains. And what do we do when we are overloaded? Exactly, we go to AI and ask it to come with some interesting ideas - because we don't have the brain space to think for ourselves. This is a pretty bad use of AI - and of your brain.
So, take five or ten minutes to stretch, walk outside, have a coffee, or simply look out of the window. You don't need to do anything special. Just give your brain some space.
And if you feel the urge to check your phone during a break, ask yourself, “What is going on here? What is the need I am trying to meet?” Maybe you need connection, reassurance, or simply some rest. There are more effective ways to meet those needs than constantly checking your devices.
Start with one small change
So, what can you actually do this week?
First, limit the number of AI agents you use at the same time to up to 3. You don't need 20 agents bringing you information if three can do the job.
Second, schedule specific times to check AI outputs instead of monitoring them constantly.
Third, observe your attention throughout the day. When are you most focused? When does your energy start to drop? Protect your peak attention time for important work and use the quieter periods for routine tasks.
And finally, make recovery non-negotiable. Take screen-free breaks, protect your lunch time, leave some space between meetings, and give yourself time to disconnect.
Remember, we don't rely only on willpower to produce change. We create an environment that helps us work better.
Just because AI allows us to do more things at the same time doesn't mean we should. Sometimes, using fewer tools, focusing on one task, and taking a proper break will make us much more productive in the long run.
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