If you spend time on the internet, the information super-highway has an off-ramp that dumps directly into your brain. Even when you aren’t actively consuming information your brain is processing …
- Facebook updates
- Advertising
- Blog recommendations
- Special offers
- Directions
- Definitions
- Support
- Hashtags
- Pinterest images
- Tweets
- Breaking news
- Opinions
- Diagnoses
And the list goes on and on and on. None of these things are harmful on their own, but combined, the information that could serve us in a meaningful way adds more distraction and lack of focus. It disrupts our sleep, conversations, and creative flow.
The following quote by Peter Drucker in Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
“In a few hundred years, when the history of our time will be written from a long-term perspective, it is likely that the most important event historians will see is not technology, not the Internet, not e-commerce. It is an unprecedented change in the human condition . For the first time— literally— substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.”
We really are unprepared and if you doubt that, ask this question. Even if you don’t think you are using the internet to the detriment of your work, joy, and health, are you using it to benefit them? And, if it’s a wash, why bother?
Ask these questions too:
- How many times a day do you “check in” to email or social networks without responding?
- Are you taking action with the information you cultivate?
- If your phone or iPad is in the same room, how many times do you think about it when you are eating dinner, or doing another activity?
- Do you go online when you are bored or lonely?
- Do people have to repeat themselves because you are distracted by your device?
- If you are writing or working online on a specific project, how long before you click out for a little escape?
I’m not judging here. In fact, I’m asking these questions myself.
While there are many little things we can do to ease the pain of information overload, and use the power of unlimited information to better serve us, these 3 steps are vital for radical improvement.
1. Limit the input.
Take a digital break, or try a 10 day social media fast. The first two days may feel uncomfortable, but it gets better. When it does, pay attention to how it feels not to have any digital distractions. What is it like to fall asleep without checking your phone first, or wake up and drink a glass of water and enjoy the morning before you open your laptop or check Facebook updates or work email? How do you feel without the validation of online social connections? What’s it like to navigate the grocery store, wait in line, or sit at a stoplight without screen time.
During your digital break, use the quiet time to understand your actions and set limits so you can thoughtfully engage when your break is over. Before you come back to the wild wild web, set limits like no wi-fi in the house before or after a certain time, or only 20 minute per day on your favorite social media platform. Assign 2 days a week to read your favorite blogs or websites instead of skimming and scanning all week long.
If the following quote from Mindy Kaling is funny to you, that’s because it’s familiar. You can relate. I can relate too.
“The Internet also makes it extraordinarily difficult for me to focus. One small break to look up exactly how almond milk is made, and four hours later I’m reading about the Donner Party and texting all my friends: Did you guys know about the Donner Party and how messed up that was? Text me back so we can talk about it!”
Have a plan before you jump into the abyss. What do you need from Google? Why are you opening Facebook? Are looking for something or trying to avoid something?
2. Create time to process.
A 10 day digital break and smaller daily breaks will do wonders for your mindspace, but consistently creating time and space to process the information you consume along with your thoughts and reactions is even more important. A mindfulness or meditation practice will help.
- Ease in with guided meditation. Try Oprah & Deepak’s free meditation series. Sign up and register for free right here.
- Jump right in with 5 minutes a day using Headspace.
- Learn the hows and whys first. This free 5 part video series from Kristoffer Carter explains the difference between a mindfulness practice and meditation practice, answers other questions, and challenges you to 30 days of practice.
Without dedicated time and space in your day, it’s impossible to prioritize or even know what the priority really is.
3. Limit the output.
Share less. Cut your email, and social activity in half and lighten up the information overload, not only for you, but for everyone connected to you. Spend less time sharing and you can spend more time with the people around you; the people who are spending time with you while you check your phone.
If you work online and are tempted to schedule auto updates to social networks during your digital break, resist. If you are on vacation, don’t constantly email your co-workers or employees to keep them busy. Let everyone benefit from your break by giving them a break too.
Instead of reacting to email all day long, schedule 20 minute sessions to respond to all time sensitive requests, and move the other messages to another folder. Respond to them in batches once or twice a week. Thanks for the tip Shannon.
These are the kinds of questions I need to ask my self repeatedly. Thanks for these helpful questions and tips. I especially liked the one from Shannon.
I truly enjoy your spirit Courtney!
Have you ever considered a weekly podcast? I know I would subscribe.
Thanks for all you do to keep me focused!
Cathy
Great tip from Shannon! I try to respond to emails only 2-3 times per day in batches to avoid being reactive and wasting time that way, but I never thought to group non-urgent emails in folders to respond just a few times each week. Brilliant!
Thank you for this post, Courtney! This is something that I struggle with. I work in IT and spend every day online, connected to email, etc. as part of my job. One thing that has helped is that I talked to my supervisor and team at work to split up the email responsibilities. There is no reason why 4 people should stop work every time an email pops up in the help box. This has really helped me stay on task at work, and I hope it has helped the others as well. I was really struggling for a while!
People often are amazed when I tell them that I’m not on Facebook. “Why aren’t you on Facebook?! How can you not be on Facebook?” Because I am on the computer 10 hours a day and I need a freaking break! LOL!
I also have a blog and I have started trying to schedule set times to write and publish, so I limit my screen time.
Do you have an app you would recommend from the Play Store for Android users?
Totally agree . Thanks Courtney
Great tips!
I find that I can only work for a few hours before I’m just done, sometimes for the whole day.
I also only check in with email if I’m able to actually sit down and respond and deal with every single email I have coming in.
I also totally relate with Mindy. Sheesh. I went on Pinterest to find one thing I had pinned for later and then spent an hour looking at gelatin recipes. #baduseoftime
Great article Courtney–I especially appreciate your tips and helps for mindfulness. This is such an important topic!!
Este blog é fantástico e gostaria de recomendar a alguns amigos!
Desculpe minha pergunta, mas será possível colocarem um “gadget tradutor”? É que, assim como eu, alguns de meus amigos brasileiros não falam bem em inglês, somente português… Seria ótimo se disponibilizassem essa opção!
Muito obrigada e parabéns pelos post!
Sandra
Brasil
Want to meditate? There’s an app for that! I’m sure it’s a nice app, but I can’t get beyond the irony of it.
This post makes me really glad that I still don’t have a smartphone. I’m still not immune to information overload syndrome, but I sorta can’t imagine how bad it would be if I had one!
I do waste time on FB sometimes… But I have the opposite issue with my smartphone… It’s upstairs and I’m down… Or it’s muted in my pocket and I don’t know someone is calling me… I like to text because it’s less “time sensitive” than a call… When I’m out with my husband or a friend, the phone seldom makes an appearance (not because of will power, I just don’t think of it because, as a “Baby Boomer” I grew up without cell phones LOL)
Great article I totally agree with! And I try to implement instantly. So time is running out… 13 min left of 30 consuming the internet per day;-) Just wanted to leave this comment to say Thank you!
Know what you mean!
I own a quilt shop and most of my vendors now send everything – catalogs, invoices, shipment information, statements, sale flyers…by email. I thoroughly dislike online flip-books for ordering, but then it saves so many trees, and saves me having stacks of catalogs………
I often wish I had never got the first computer for my business years ago – I’m positive it takes me much longer to do my bookkeeping now then it did before computers!
I send an email newsletter roughly twice a month to interested customers – saves a lot of paper and postage. Occasionally post on facebook – but can’t believe the crazy stuff you see there.
Check email early a.m. while waiting for husband to get up and then early afternoon at work.
Would like to skip it all 🙂
I love the question, “Are you looking for something or avoiding something?”
So on point– much of the time I spend on the internet I’m not looking for anything in particular. Or, I tell myself that I’m “researching” a topic when I’m really just putting off a project or something I should really do!
Great article! I’m on week two of a seven week social media fast at the moment. So far it’s been easier than I thought it would be. I can really recommend it to everyone who feels overwhelmed by the constant in- and output. Your article summarized exactly why I decided to do the fasting in the first place and it’s nice to get a little reminder about that … so, thank you!
Thanks so much Courtney! I have definitely been feeling this the past couple of weeks! Great reminders on how to get back into focus.
I wrote a similar post on this subject a little while ago. It was Porlandia that inspired me with their Technology Loop and “Mind-Fi” skit.
I’ve just downloaded an app to my laptop that blocks me from accessing a list of sites that distract me, and also my email for a period of time I choose. It’s made a huge difference to my productivity.
Courtney,
Yes, I’m totally agree with your post.
Problem with me is, I’m a digital marketing analyst and I can’t afford to take 7 or 10 days break from social media.
I’ve gotten rid off facebook but, I need to be there on linkedin and twitter to get more updates.
Takeaway for me is:
I’l schedule my social media for definite time.