5 Tips to Prevent Information Overload

Recently I have felt inundated with information from my Googlereader, Twitter lists, RSS feeds and unread inbox (sorry Mom). I’ve began to gravitate toward articles that explain how to eliminate information from your life – which  is a bit ironic I guess. Through this process though I’ve discovered some great tips to prevent information overload, which will simplify your life, subsequently increasing productivity.

1. Seek the information! I used to firmly believe in RSS feeds and alerts, but the more I subscribe to the more I neglect to read. Also, when I subscribe to blogs and information I become lazy about searching for new information, which leads to a lack of variety.
2. Set aside time. Instead of skimming the headlines, I save a chunk of the day to sift through blogs and news to read some in-depth articles about anything that catches my eye. I find that by doing this I’m able to retain more information and save the grief of scanning multiple headlines.
3. Save it. If the article is worth saving or I don’t have enough time to read the piece then I save it for later on my Delicious page, which neatly organizes the info into various tags.  So save yourself the headache by storing articles on a social bookmarking site.
4. Limit your social media use. So how much has changed on Facebook during the last five minutes? Probably not a whole lot! Living away from most of my friends and family, I use Facebook as a way to stay connected. If I don’t set a time limit on my social networking time then I will get lost in the abyss. I’m wary that social media addiction exists, but I think setting a time limit is a healthy approach.
5. Turn it off. Finally turn off all the news and gadgets. I give myself time each day to reflect and process the information I’ve received, whether that be through running, writing or chatting about the day with a friend.

Any other tips on modifying your information diet?

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