45,276 Tips to Stop Information Overload

If you’re anything like the clients I work with www.coach4ldrs.com  you spend an inordinate amount of time sifting and sorting through information: research and reports, email and texts, online news, social media, voice mail, not to mention the face-to-face information that is shared in passing, in meetings and conferences.

I’ve been writing about this in recent posts. Here are more good tips to stop the avalanche of information that clogs up our workspace so we can concentrate on what really matters, the things that will bring in the best results.

5. Meditate on Jesus

The art of meditation provides a means for clearing the mind of chatter and stray thoughts. There is no doubt that we are subjected to an abundance of noise and information overload which is delivered with a perverted invitation to hurry, hurry, faster, faster! The famous quote from Carl Jung reminds us “Hurry is not of the Devil, it is the Devil. According to Christian teachings an antidote for the endless internal monologue that loops in our brains is mediating on God with God. When the overload moment hits use that as an invitation to connect with Jesus. It seems just like God to use what is challenging us to grow us.

6. Cut off the flow

How can you retool your life to consume less info, less frequently? Make it a habit to leave the radio off in your car when you drive to work and enjoy the silence. You don't need the TV on to repeat the news talk. Make it a rule never to surf the web, TV, or other “glowing rectangles” after 8 P.M. Another favorite idea it is use the Sabbath for a day of no “screens”. Might you take the challenge and cut off the flow?

7. Outsource solution finding

Find ways to outsource your decision making and solution finding to other people, so you don’t have to bathe in the info stream to the point that it scalds your mind.

8. Reduce your informational needs

You can survive on far less information than you realize. Do you really need to scan the CNN headlines every morning on your cell phone? What is that doing for your life? How is it making you a better person and moving you closer to your goals? Excise what you don’t need – and do regular audits.

One wise person put herself on an information diet for a year. At the end of December, she accessed all the top news stories for the year on the Time Magazines site. Like watching the highlights of a football game, she only wants to know the interesting parts.

Tips 9 through 45,276

[Deleted because you’ve gotten what you need out of this article and you don’t need to waste more time consuming information, even if it's about how to stop consuming information!]. What do you think? What other tips or best practices do you use? I’d love to hear from you (truly!) Send me an email marc@mocoach4ldrs.com or contact me via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcottestadchristianceo/

3 Tips to STOP Information Overload

3 Tips to Stop Information Overload

It's one of the most common complaints among working adults: "Stop the emails!" At least that's what I hear in the work I do coaching executives (coach4ldrs.com)  If work isn't stressful enough, we're drowning in information that doesn't stop coming. Now we are experiencing the technology gurus using text, oh my goodness.

Here are three good tips for stopping the avalanche of information that clogs up our workspace so we can concentrate on what really matters, the things that will bring in the best results.

1.      Leverage the “Pareto Principle ”  (AKA the 80:20 rule)

Author Timothy Ferriss (The 4-Hour Workweek) writes about the importance of the 80:20 rule, or the Pareto Principle. Essentially, this principle says that 80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. Conversely, 80% of your problems result from 20% of your inputs.

 Let's apply this idea to the "info overload" problem. It’s almost certain that 80% of the information that comes into your life everyday is relatively useless. Get rid of that excess 80%. Focus on the 20% of information that genuinely adds to your life.

Do routine “80:20” audits of both your information and daily time usage to improve your productivity and clamp down on overload.

2.      Use Parkinson’s Law

Parkinson’s Law essentially states that work will expand or contract to take up the amount of time allotted for it. In The 4-Hour Workweek, Ferriss talks about Parkinson’s Law as a companion principle to the 80:20 principle. The idea is that you should give yourself hard to meet (but not impossible) deadlines throughout the day.

For instance, say you enjoy surfing the internet. But you don’t want to spend 3 hours a day lost mindlessly on the web. Set a timer – say 30 minutes. Then allow yourself to swim in the info-sea until the timer buzzes.

3.      Explore "Getting Things Done" – a productivity system

Productivity guru David Allen created the Getting Things Done (GTD) system to help info-overloaded people clear their slates and their minds. Essentially, Allen’s philosophy is to write down what’s on your mind – to collect your mind’s “open loops” in an objective format, such as a lengthy to-do list. In this way, your brain doesn’t have to “remember everything.” GTD is not a simple system to learn or use, but it contains many powerful ideas.

Whatever system you use, it's only as good as the results it brings you. If you continue to struggle with information overload, you may benefit from professional coaching services (coach4ldrs.com)

Many of my clients have had turn-around breakthroughs. You may not be able to see what a good coach can see.

Love to connect and hear how you handle the chaos of information overload.

Here is my cell 714-267-2818

How to STOP Information Overload

How to Stop Information Overload

 How many times have you screamed to yourself: “There is too much information online! Make it stop! Argh!”

 According to a 2009 study conducted by the University of California, San Diego, Americans consume on average approximately 34 gigabytes of information a day. This translates to about 100,000 words of information in a single 24-hour period.

 Our culture, work and media celebrate our unfettered access to music, videogames, television, and websites. But overloading the human brain has negative consequences. Many people worry what this information gluttony is doing to their mental, physical and spiritual health. When we hear the word gluttony we often relegate our thinking to food or drink and yet the since of gluttony is really exemplified in this idea of information gluttony.

 Rates of repetitive stress disorders, such as computer-related eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome (from excess computer use), are rising, along with rates of Attention Deficit Disorder. Lack of focus is a common complaint. Lack of time is another. These are all obvious symptoms that should alert us to the possibility of a lack of connecting you Our Lord.

 An Internet search for things like “info overload cure,” reveals thousands of articles about what to do. Many of these articles have good advice. But there again, it's possible to get snowed under by an avalanche of information about information overload.

 So let’s boil down the actions you can take right now to simplify your life and clear your mind.

 Be Satisfied with Less

As the old cliché goes: “Perfect is the enemy of the good.” We often crave the "best" answer or path. But the sheer number of options paralyzes us. Sociologist Barry Schwartz details this phenomenon in depth in his book, The Paradox of Choice.  Another favorite is Less is More by Dale Burke.

Studies show that when you give people too many choices, they not only freeze up and have trouble deciding, but they also wind up less satisfied with what they choose. The more choices, the less satisfaction.

Perhaps the call is to simplicity. Explore Matthew 6:25-27

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink….

or how about not worrying about your next decision by overindulging with information?

Remember, any time you can limit your choices to get a “good enough” answer instead of a “best” answer, you'll be better off. This is connected to the leadership discipline of delegation.

As we think about “Less is more” we are reminded to start with the godly discipline in Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, it there is any excellence, if there is anything praiseworthy, think about these things.

Of course, as with all principles, caveats apply. If you want information about how to refinance your home, you would obviously want to consult with more than one or two sources. But, in general, err on the side of limiting choices instead of expanding options and most importantly invest in God’s guidance as your foundation. It will bring you peace and joy in all decisions including where to gain your next financing source.

How can you start making better choices in order to prioritize your work flow and connect with God? Sometimes – often times – the services of a professional coach can help. In the work I do coaching with clients (www.coach4ldrs.com)  people report more happiness and better results with less effort.

My coaching is about “Connecting You, Your Work & God”.

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