More Info? Not Required
How to deal with information overload
From the moment we wake up to the moment we sleep, information throngs our minds.
- As soon as we gain consciousness, we try to recall our dreams, we plan what to eat for breakfast and what tasks to accomplish at work.
- Soon enough, we are bombarded with news running on the TV channel.
- While listening to music, we pay attention to the name of the song playing flashing on our screen along with lyrics of the song and what they mean, with the artist, album, year.
- Even when we drive, songs are just part of the equation; signboards and billboards with strong advertising messages vie for our attention.
- We notice the cars around us and their stickers. Even subconsciously, we are recording all the subtle details around us, even the number plates!
- All this even before we have reached our workplace and had a chance to check our smartphone — the ceaseless consumption of content derailing our concentration efforts and causing information overload.
It’s true — we are in the Digital Age of the 21st century. That technology is progressing at breakneck speeds, leaving many to cope up is a universally accepted fact.
Information overload is one such byproduct of this tech-driven era that we all struggle with.
As per the Cambridge dictionary, information overload is defined as, ‘a situation in which you receive too much information at one time and cannot think about it in a clear way.’
Even in conversations with friends, the mention of the books you haven’t read, the series you haven’t watched stirs up an information overload. Really, how much can you really see and read in this short span of 70 odd years on planet Earth!
All this leads to a blockage of sorts in our minds. We often get overwhelmed with information. It slowly becomes a behemoth bigger than what we can deal with.
Get Aditi Ahuja’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Unfortunately, information overload is here to stay, and it’s only going to get worse; with Big data, AI and machine learning being added to this deadly cauldron of information. So, we might as well learn our ways to deal with it!
Here are some pointers and thoughts that can help reduce this feeling of information overload:
Take your time
Movies and books are here to stay. You don’t need to rush and binge-watch content compromising on your sleep just so you can be a part of the next conversation with friends. It’s really not worth it. Go through content at your own pace and with a sense of peace.
Avoid Multi-tasking
It’s good to be mindful of what’s happening around you, but become aware when you are taking in too much altogether. Not every detail needs to be noted and observed carefully by you. Give yourself a break!
Reduction in multi-tasking can often result in the overall reduction of information overload. “Juggling or multi-tasking isn’t good for you physically or mentally and is worse for your productivity and cognition. Research shows that doing too much of it can cause your IQ to drop and impact your brain like going without sleep,” says author Lynne Cazaly in a 2021 article on HBR.
So, take on one task at a time and do it with proper focus and concentration. Remove any distractions from around you, and use the Pomodoro technique if required. This may even gear you up to achieve the elusive state of flow.
Managing Information
Good news! You don’t have to deal with all the information, all at once. You can find your own ways of management practices for your personal and professional needs.
An article on Oxford Research Encyclopedias suggests using good personal information management practices. Quoting the Interaction Design Foundation, the article states, “Feel free to ignore information; feel free to take action without having all the facts; create an information queue and tackle it regularly; filter information ruthlessly; delegate information responsibly; and learn to skim read.”
If required, switch your smartphone to silent mode or turn off notifications to help you concentrate better. Even repeatedly checking e-mails can take its toll on your brain, as suggested by this article on Frontiers in Psychology.
Conclusion
Lastly, just realise that you are not alone in this. Information overload and distraction plagues every section of society today, and it is in no way a unique problem. But managing it and making the best of it is up to you!
