3 ways to take control of information overload

I'm ok admitting that my mind is a tiny teacupImagine that you have a small and dainty tea cup in your hands. You are extremely thirsty and would love to fill your cup with some nice, cool, and refreshing water. Luckily, a nice young man with a fire hose happens to be with you (a convenient situation indeed). He kindly offers to fill your cup with water and you are nearly giddy with excitement. He turns the valve on the nozzle as you hold your tea cup at the ready.

A blast of icy water erupts from the hose and nearly knocks you on your back. Your tea cup flies out of your hands and shatters on the sidewalk. You’re still thirsty but now you’re also dazed, sore, and wet.

This is how I feel about the Internet.

My RSS feed, my Twitter timeline, Facebook status updates, and a never ceasing flow of email all serve as the high pressure hose to my mind’s dainty tea cup. I crave information like my fictional character craved water. However, the sheer volume and velocity of content makes it nearly impossible to actually get anything worthwhile in my tea cup of a mind.

This can’t continue much longer. How much sense would it make to get back up, dripping and aching, glue my teacup back together, and tap the man with the hose on the shoulder and ask for more. How many times do we get knocked down by the information wave only to get up and ask for more?

I can’t do it anymore and here’s how I’m getting control.

Living in an apartment with no Internet or TV — I recently moved to a very small apartment that currently has no Internet connection. I could probably rectify that situation but I’ve actually discovered that I like it. I live close enough to a public library with free wi-fi that I can still connect if there is something I really need to check.

Reducing my RSS feed count by 80% — Lately I’ve found myself just skimming articles in my feed reader because I’m overwhelmed by how much there is to read. People work hard creating this content and I’m not giving it the attention it deserves. I’m going to ruthlessly cull the number of sites I follow so that I can actually take the time to digest what I read.

Using Instapaper for anything that looks interesting — Instapaper lets me read content on my terms. Especially with limited access to the Internet, I don’t want to be wasting time online reading things that I can easily take with me when I log off.

There is just too much excellent information to absorb out there and I don’t think I’m doing anybody justice by trying to catch bits and pieces of it as it goes whirling by. I’d much rather fill my tea cup from a small pitcher of delicious lemonade and enjoy it at my leisure.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you face everyday? What are you doing about it?

Photo by morbieus

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 at 5:00 am and is filed under productivity, simplicity, technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://twitter.com/living_minimal Martijn

    When it comes to information the keyword is focus. You are referring to the Internet but I think that this rule should be applied to any medium. Tv, newspaper but also conversations!

    A question popped into my head. How come every machine has a manual but there is no manual for dealing with the Internet? :)

  • http://simplyminded.net/ Dave Thielen

    Thanks for mentioning Instapaper, I'll have to check it out.

    No internet and TV is a great way to stop the information overload. I'm two 1/2 weeks into my own adventure without the two, and it is nice not worrying about checking email, Twitter, etc. when I'm at home. I've definitely done a lot more reading without those distractions.

    My biggest complaint with no internet–and I've mentioned this to you before–is that I feel like it hinders my access to my Twitter community and to work on my blog. I can access some websites at work, but otherwise I only have access if I go to the local library or coffee shop. Since I don't do that every day, that leaves only a couple days a week where I might have about two hours to connect on Twitter (an important tool for a blogger, IMO) or overhaul the layout of my blog (something that drastically needs to be done).

    I'm enjoying some of the freedom it is giving me–and the money I'm saving–but I'm not sure how long I can stick with it.

  • http://www.thesimplerlife.net/ Sam Spurlin

    I definitely understand, Dave. I live close enough to the library and my parents' house that I can still log on to the Internet at least daily. I could definitely see how being disconnected for days at a time could be a hindrance for a blogger. Is there anyway you could make going to the local library for a set amount of time everyday part of your routine? I've noticed that I've been making a list of things I have to do when I have access to the Internet and do them all at the same time whenever I can connect. A lot of what I used to think I HAD to do on the Internet (like writing blog posts or even emails) can actually be done disconnected. You just need to connect long enough to send all the information you've created to it's correct channels (sending email, scheduling posts, etc.) Anyway, I'm interested to hear about your experience if you decide to stick with it.

  • http://www.thesimplerlife.net/ Sam Spurlin

    That would be one long-ass manual! I jotted that question down into my Idea Tank though…

  • http://simplyminded.net/ Dave Thielen

    The problem with going to the library is that by the time I get home from work, I usually have less than an hour till it closes. By the time I got to the library, we're talking about maybe half an hour tops that I could be online. I could go to coffee houses more, but if I'm going to spend at least $2 for tea every time I go, I might as well pay for the internet at home.

    I've been working on writing posts offline, and I can do a lot of checking blogs and emailing from work (probably not as much as I have been, though). The problem arises for me when I go back to something like overhauling my blog. For example, I've been wanting to check out the Thesis theme, but I need a substantial block of time online to read up on it, watch tutorials, etc. before I even decide to buy it. Once I do buy it, we're talking about another big time block to learn how to use it, set it up, etc.

    I'm not saying this can't work, I'm merely thinking the process through out loud. I'm definitely going to stick it out for the entire first month like I said I would, but I just don't know if it's the best thing for me in the long run.

    Keep us updated on how it's working for you.

  • http://www.thesimplerlife.net/ Sam Spurlin

    Yeah I definitely see how that could be a problem then. I would probably feel the same way if I was in your position. My own situation is a little bit more flexible so I think I can make it work.

  • jacki_dilley

    Sam, you express very well something we all grapple with.

    My partner and I didn't have a computer, let alone internet, until going on two years ago. We did all our online work at the library near our home. It was a bit of a pain, but it sure prevented the noodling around that can eat up 3 hours before I know it.

    Would I want to go back to having no internet at home? I don't think so. Simplifying our lives is difficult, no matter how we go about it. It's hard following a schedule of going to the library, and hard to discipline myself to limit my internet consumption at home. Much of the benefit comes from learning how to navigate through that blast of water coming at my teacup.

  • http://grokkery.com/blog Jonathan Wondrusch

    No TV at home I can do, but no internet?! You're crazy, and I love it. Walking the walk the way you are is super inspiring Sam.

    The one thing I'm realizing as I read blogs and social news sites is how little of it I actually need to know. When I go through my RSS, it isn't so much of an issue of “Gotta check it out because its by so and so,” but really analyzing based on the title and excerpt if it is something that will add to the quality of my life or teach me something I need to know. If it is, I'll check it out. If not, I usually wont' finish the article.

    Since we can't get a bigger teacup (only so many hours in the day), I say we get a smaller fire hose :D With one of those fancy water-output-reducing nozzles like you can get for showers. That'll do it.

  • http://bitesizeidea.com/ Damien Olenslager

    You are a brave man. I'm still in the denial phase when it comes to internet addiction.

    I know things are coming to a head, my feed reader is overflowing and I can't keep up with the 5-6 twitter lists I monitor.

    Let us know how you are managing; how do you deal with the withdrawal?

  • http://rowdykittens.com/2010/05/simple-living-news-update-29/ Simple Living News Update

    [...] 3 ways to take control of information overload [...]

  • Udit

    I am a follower of minimalism and I follow the following steps to reduce information load in my digital life:

    1. Reduce the clutter in Google Reader (http://romram.tumblr.com/post/530997718/de-clut...)

    2. Reduce the Incoming Emails (http://romram.tumblr.com/post/528429224/less-in...)

    Hope you find the above links useful. :-)

  • http://www.thesimplerlife.net/ Sam Spurlin

    I deal with the withdrawal by keeping my mind busy with other things: reading and writing mostly.

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