Living in the age of information brings some challenges that other generations didn’t have to deal with. With all the information just a click of a button away, we are bombarded with news, ads, relevant and irrelevant information, tools we often have no time to try and cool tricks we’ll never implement.
Today I’m going to show you how you can recover from being an information junkie and become information whiz.
1. Know what you are looking for
Being selective in what you read or watch is a must in today’s world. What type of information are you looking for? Do you really need to know about latest celebrity buzz, what star got stripped off of medals due to drug problems or what problems Argentina has with their import business? Don’t get me started on TV series. How important is it for you or your family to know what happened to that fictional character in part 6 of the 4th season? Seriously! Be super selective with what you consume. Your head is not a garbage can!
This being said, it’s also important to mention that none of us can be functioning at 100% at all times. Yet, especially during the productive times, pay attention to what information you’re consuming. Focus on what builds you up, moves you forward and expands your reach.
2. Organize and manage ideas
If you’re like me, your head is spinning with new ideas all day long. Almost on a daily basis I find cool tips, tools, and resources that are screaming for my attention. I used to get stuck and become overwhelmed. I’d research the tools, check what others are saying, sometimes even purchase the tools, just to realize that a couple of months down the road I’m still paying for something I’m not even using.
Those times are over. I have an Idea Notebook (I run mine in Evernote) where I write down anything and everything I discover during the day. Once a week I go through all the ideas and decide whether there’s something I want to use, learn or implement. If so, I assign a date and time to it and add it to my to do list. If not, I decide whether I want to keep it in my Idea Notebook or if I need to delete it.
Whether you use online tools (like Evernote), a binder or a file folder, do not get stuck with the new ideas. Write them down and decide how urgent they are.
3. Evaluate
This is the key to productivity. Every week set aside time to evaluate what you’ve learned about yourself, your clients, business, industry, competition, or challenges you’re facing. Look for time leaks in your day and make adjustments necessary to improve your productivity.
Some questions that might be helpful in this stage are…
- What unnecessary information have I collected and how much time did it cost me?
- How can I use my time better next week?
- What are the triggers moving me in the wrong direction and what is the best way to deal with them?
- What do I need to learn to improve my results? What information do I need to focus on next week?
Follow these 3 tips to avoid information overload, get more done and improve your results.
Question: What other tools and strategies do you use to overcome information overload and stay on track with your tasks? Share them in the comments below.
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