This paper investigates how cognitive load affects the decision-making process of interpreters and translators working in real time. Real-time translation, especially simultaneous interpreting, places exceptional pressure on working memory, attention control, and rapid reasoning. The article discusses cognitive mechanisms that underlie interpreting performance, describes how overload influences translation quality, and considers how expertise, stress regulation, and technological tools can mitigate mental strain. The discussion draws on cognitive psychology, linguistics, and interpreter-training research to show how balanced cognitive effort leads to better professional performance.