For some people, 30 open browser tabs are a sign that it is time to clean up. For others, closing even one can feel strangely uncomfortable. There is the article that still needs to be read, the product that might be purchased later, the recipe that could be useful next week and the research page that took 10 minutes to find. Each tab can become a tiny reminder of something the person does not want to lose. Psychology suggests this behavior may involve more than simple disorganization. It can be connected to cognitive offloading, a process in which people use external tools to reduce demands on their memory, as well as metamemory, or a person's beliefs about how well they will remember something later.
Research shows that people strategically use external storage when they believe it will help them remember information or future intentions. In that sense, an overloaded browser can sometimes function like a second memory system.
