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The Problem is Not Information Overload | GTD Times - David Allen, the GTD guru, identifies the problem of information overload and its cause, but I felt he didn’t go the extra step in the article to identify a solution.
My solution: when you’re feeling overloaded with information, like there’s-just-way-too-much-OMG!… slow down. Look away from your screen. I hear the outdoors are fun—try that. Now come back and ask yourself, “what matters here?” Try variations. “Why does this matter?” “Why do I care, really?”
Or just let it go. If it’s truly important, you’ll think about it again or they’ll call/email/text/Twitter/Facebook again. I used to feel guilty if I didn’t have a zero-count on all my information boxes—email, Things list, Google Reader, Facebook notifications, et cetera et cetera. But it was taking up all of my time, and then I started letting it go. And guess what—I felt better. Genuinely. Less mental clutter and noise, more clarity and room for imagination. It’s information, people. Even if you read everything you’re not going to remember it all anyway. So let it go and let life take you to happier places than the never-ending rabbit hole of information that is the Internet.
And if you’re like me, and you like the Internet, for goodness sake, while you’re on here make something that means something. Share with purpose and intent. Write with conviction and sincerity. Follow only those things that you feel compelled to pursue. Spend your time wisely and carefully, and consider always the blessing with which we are endowed this very moment.
