# Mental context
A mental context corresponds to a specific state of mind: information, ideas, tasks, and problems that are related and "loaded" in short-term memory. Whenever we think about something, our brain looks for related ideas and loads the most relevant ones, resulting in a specific mental context.
Recognizing the importance of mental context is crucial in minimizing the cognitive load associated with multitasking, frequent interruptions and distractions. See [[30 Areas/33 Permanent notes/33.02 Content/Context switching]].
## References
- [[Cognitive load]]
- [[Multitasking]]
- [[30 Areas/33 Permanent notes/33.02 Content/Context switching]]