Tim Gouw on Unsplash
Everything you need is at your fingertips these days with the invention of Internet.
Specially, information.
The Internet can help you a lot with it, if you are very specific and disciplined on what you need from it, otherwise you will be lost.
As Herbert A. Simon says,
...a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.
Learning pyramid shows, when you put knowledge into action and teach others you retain the most.
I was suffering from information overload for quite a while and went to Internet for the solution and found several tips which I found helpful.
So let's start,
1) Have todo list
If you keep getting distracted with thoughts during your work, have a todo list app or note near you. Write down your thoughts in that and go back to your work.
You will be astonished to see how many of those 'important thoughts' that your mind disillusioned you into didn't even matter.
2) Read relevant only with your goals
Having a goal is important.
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.
Chuck Palahniuk
Curiosity is good, if it takes you away from task at hand, it's distraction.
3) News tab in your browser
Just disable it. It distracts you.
4) Shopping
Buy when you feel the need of it, stop searching mindlessly of products.
Oh, there is a sell?
When you buy something from a sell you don't save $25 rather you spent the $75.
5) Disable notifications
But, I have important emails? Deal with them once or twice a day at specific time period.
6) Avoid social media
I don't remember when was the last time I found something useful there.
It's an endless sea of garbage.
7) Ignore clickbaits
If you see clickbait headlines like,
Bla bla phone specs leaked.
Bla bla release date leaked.
Celebrity gossip
Politics rumours
Ignore such, read only what is confirmed and relevant.
8) Stop the trap of read it later
9) Read a paperback book, rather than reading it on Internet. You will be much more concentrated.
10) Get off Internet for sometime everyday
Extras:
Now, here are some gems I found while researching for information overload. All credits go to authors.
— The more you will reach for the greater the scope will become. Whenever you search information, you might be better off going back and asking yourself why do I want a more vivid understanding of this topic in the first place.
— You are not being productive when you consume information, rather you become productive when you put it into action.
— Being in the state where you don't have many things coming in your way helps you expand what you already have. Reduce the quantity of information, so you can focus and expand what you already have.