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I get asked this question very often. Today, after reading a blog post about information overload by Ruth Ritchie, I realized how bad it could be.
Information overload can cause stress, lowered productivity, lack of creativity, even a total mental breakdown!
That’s bad. Worse, because it is oh-so-easy to overcome.
Of course, too many people make it more complex than it has to be – by subscribing to a WRONG belief… that, just because information exists out there, you NEED it!
No, you don’t.
Not unless it is DIRECTLY relevant to your life, more specifically, to what you are engaged upon at the present moment or time.
The rest is NOT urgent. Maybe not even important. Very likely unnecessary.
Yet, that irrelevant, unimportant, incidental ’something’ is what very often contributes to the syndrome we call ‘information overload’.
And entrepreneurs/opportunity-seekers, who typically have short attention spans for which numerous events, news items and offers constantly compete, are the most likely victims.
How can you deal with ‘information overload’?
Follow 3 steps:
* Ask yourself if you need this information right now.
* If you do, consume it, analyze it, and act on it – now. After all, that’s how you categorized it, as information you need ‘right now’!
* If you don’t, FORGET ABOUT IT.
The key, of course, lies in the first step. Deciding if you need this information. Get that right, and the rest is easy.
And make that decision ON YOUR OWN. Don’t let someone else influence you with arguments, coercion or convoluted logic.
You know what matters in YOUR life.
Tune out EVERYTHING else while you’re testing or working on something.
Get it working – or prove to yourself it won’t work for you.
Then move on to a more productive, more profitable one.
And specifically related to email, if you don’t have time to read everything in your inbox today – file it away in your email sub-folders to come back to when you have more time.
No matter what marketers say, a good product will always last long enough for you to be able to buy it later, when it’s more affordable, usable, or relevant.
{ 3 comments }
thanks for the tips and reminder. I’m going to make myself a little post it note with those three steps. I see we have another interest in common – info coping skills.
great tips, and oh so true. It really is as easy as asking yourself if you need the info at that moment… and trusting yourself enough to listen to your own answer! Thanks very much for the mention.
Ruth, you made me think about it
Dr.Mani
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