I don’t think there’s anyone out there who wouldn’t agree we are in an information overload.
Not only are we bombarded, but we’re manipulated by different services to be addicted to getting it.
It didn’t use to be this way and we all lived happy informed lives before.
I already greatly cut down on my information intake because I don’t use social media, so I’m not bombarded all day long with updates. If you’re not ready or willing to unplug completely, I suggest at the least you curtail your social media by:
- Turn off all notifications. Don’t let them drive your behaviour.
- Remove the apps from your phone and only use it by manually logging in at a computer at specified times. Make them harder to use, so you’re not going there by habit. This is how we used the internet not long ago. You can review and update once or twice a day, and the rest of the day you are clear of distraction.
I’ve taken it a step further, because I realized I was revisiting different news sites out of habit and boredom. Worse, I kept getting blasted with bad news. Murders, rapes, US politics, etc.
So I did a few things:
- I deleted some bookmarks of the sites, to make them more difficult to visit on reflex.
- I type in the url manually to visit them.
- I installed a browser plug-in called Leechblock, which you can set certain sites for a maximum time frame.
- I set the time limit for 10 minutes.
So, now, generally in the morning, I will visit my local newspaper websites (Toronto Star, Toronto Sun) and scan the day’s news. Maybe I’ll quickly check an article, but because I’m under the gun, I get through it as quick as possible.
This gives me a decent understanding of what is going on in the world each day. I visit both the “left” and “right” daily newspapers of Toronto to combat being in an information bubble. I may not agree, but I want to know what “the other side” thinks about different topics.
And then that’s it. It’s over. The rest of my day is spent on more positive things. Things I can do that make a positive impact. No more getting bogged down with overload.
I kind of compare my process with the “1950’s dad” who sat at the breakfast table drinking his coffee and reading the morning paper before leaving for work. Once he leaves that newspaper behind, he doesn’t get inundated with information for the rest of the day.
Since doing this, my mind has been more clear, and I’ve been able to conduct more positivity in life. This blog is part of that.
