BY SUJA NATARAJAN
WHILE IT’S fun to have the world at our
fingertips, all that information can overwhelm the brain. With easy access to
information, many of us suffer from information overload, or “infobesity,” a term
coined by James Morris, dean of the School
of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
University. Just as binge eating can lead to
obesity, compulsive seeking of information causes information overload that
hampers productivity.
Fear of missing out (“FOMO”)—a phenomenon observed and named by Dan
Herman, an authority on consumer behavior and CEO of strategy consulting firm
Competitive Advantages—compels people
to keep pace with information. A study
published in Translational Issues in
Psychological Science (September ;;;;)
links anxiety over missing out to mental
and physical problems and issues with
mindful attention.
Many other experts have addressed
the issue. Costco member Deborah Searcy,
a member of the management faculty at
Florida Atlantic University, confirms that
humans have limited information-holding
capacity and says our brains become over-
whelmed when we try to do too many
things at the same time. New Jersey–based
Costco member and neurosurgeon Dr.
Mark McLaughlin says, “Information
overload affects the perception of self-con-
trol and adds to stress.”
Similarly, the American Psychological
Association says the human brain is not
designed for heavy multitasking, and even
the short mental blocks resulting from
switching between tasks can cause as much
as ;; percent loss of a person’s productiv-
ity. Dr. David Lewis, a British psychologist,
calls the negative effects of information
overload “information fatigue syndrome,”
which include symptoms ranging from
irritability to hypertension.
The question, then, is how to combat
information overload. Here are some tips.
Prioritize. Determine what’s important
and skip all information that does not con-
nect with your immediate goals. Once you
have established priorities, streamline
communication channels and associate
one primary source with it. For example,
set up preferred communication tools for
internal communication, client communi-
cation and critical communication.
Dallas-based Costco member Stefan
Taylor, the founder of adhdboss.com, a web
resource for people with ADHD, uses social
media for business purposes only. He also
monitors email subscriptions and mobile
push notifications that distract him.
Discipline. Experts caution not to subscribe to or follow people/trends on social
media just because you see other people do
it. Aim for the right information rather
than quick info. Be willing to unsubscribe
or unfollow sources that are no longer useful to you. Filter and cull your social media
connections.
Disconnect. New York City–based
Peter Shankman, a media entrepreneur
and author of Faster Than Normal
(TarcherPerigee, ;;;;; not available at
Costco), turns off every alert while at work.
“Phone, beeps, alerts, email—nothing is
live. When I’m in deep work, nothing but
my word-processing program and myself
are live. As a result, my productivity (and
revenue) is up over ;;; percent in three
years,” he says.
Fight digital distraction with digital
tools. Orlando, Florida–based Tina Willis,
a personal injury lawyer, uses technology
to tame infobesity. “Apps like Cold Turkey
and AppDetox [which restrict device
usage during specific times of the day]
have virtually eliminated the problem of
distraction and improved my productivity,” says Willis.
Single-tasking. Work in short bursts
and focus on a single task. Searcy confirms
that we become more efficient if we focus
on one task, and if we multitask, our overall results slow down.
Collective change. Organizations can
enhance productivity by adopting strategies that control digital downpour.
Discourage multitasking, create interrup-tion-free zones and no-email days, have
short meetings and change email policies
to simplify the work environment. For
example, Jason Cummins, owner of All
Hours Air in Sparks, Nevada, says his team
grappled with a lot of information—
graphs, emails and calculations—which
affected productivity. Cummins noticed
increased productivity when he reduced
the information channels, which gave his
team more time to digest information.
As McLaughlin notes, “We will never
be able to tame the influx of information
completely, so maintaining our priorities, finding a rhythm and sticking to it is
important.” C
Suja Natarajan is a freelance journalist
based in Ohio.
Combating information overload
The
digital
downpour
BUSINESSCONNECTION
STEVEN LAIT, © SVSHOT / SHUTTERSTOCK
OUR DIGITAL EDITIONS
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