TH!NKsulting!

SG asks,

"Information overload" is killing me. What can I do?

My take

Call 911. Quick.

Sorry, Just kidding.

SG, I can understand your situation. Two decades ago, we used to get information only in physical form (newspapers, magazines and books) and from other people. It was not easy to digest everything that was available then. Today, it is more complex. Every one of those methods are applicable today but technology has changed the game. We can now get information 24 hours a day (almost anywhere) using variety of gadgets and gizmos.

My take on information overload is slightly different.

First, some background to set the context for what I will be saying: The marketplace rarely pays for "knowledge." You get paid for "application" of knowledge. You may know a lot about a topic but unless you act to make something relevant to happen with that knowledge, marketplace does not care.

With that in the background, think about whether you can afford to be drowned in the "information overload." The answer is No.

The marketplace values accomplishments and that requires action. Action requires time and of course, knowledge. But if you are totally engrossed in amassing knowledge without having the time to apply it, all bets are off. Your actions are powerful based on what you know, who you know, who knows and how you know who you know. While all this is important, just remember that you can't substitute action for anything other than action.

Once you realize that you need "time" to "execute or act," automatically your need for "amassing knowledge that can't be applied" will start diminishing.

I worry when people complain about "information overload." Sometimes they don't even use the right term - it is usually the "non-information overload" that is affecting them more than the information overload. There is so much information that is being pushed out and "relevancy" flies out of the door as you start consuming anything and everything.

Here is a thought experiment

1. Assume that all of your sources for information just went dead and you are starting fresh.

2. Imagine a day where you are not receiving any information involuntarily - meaning if you want something, you are going after it, they are not sending it to you.

3. Take a look at your actions and see what information you need to support you to make your actions more powerful.

4. Take a look at what information you will go after to increase your capacity to contribute and grow.

5. If information you are presented with does not help you, ruthlessly send it to a triage and think - if you should spend time on that in the future.

In other words, start cleaning up at the source. For instance, you came to this site via somewhere. and you spent time reading through this article. Was this useful enough? Was it time worth spent? Was there an ROII big enough to continue to read this website. If not, ruthlessly eliminate it from your bookmarks or subscription lists. I know that I will lose you as a visitor but I also know that your time is valuable and with this time saved, you may be able to read something that you can apply.

[ Note to self: Raj, stop shooting yourself at the foot ]

Time is limited and you can't change that. There is also a LOT of good information out there. There is lot more good information being produced too. However, none of this good information will matter if you can't apply and make something out of it. Since everyone has the same time, whoever can produce more valuable accomplishments in this available time will win - leading to my original claim that execution mattes way more than the idea.

Summarizing the answer quickly with key points:

1. Time is fixed. So you need to "act" and produce valuable accomplishments within this available time. So start applying what you are learning.

2. Check information overload at source. No point in managing what should not have been entertained in the first place.

3. Check "non-information overload" and block it completely. Life is too precious to be spent on stupid stuff.

4. Lastly, always remember that "knowing is not doing but doing is doing."

Related Reading:

1. 9 ways people respond to online content at Lateral Action.

2. Barriers to knowledge transfer - Gabriel Szulanski reserach findings at Life Beyond Code

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More about Rajesh Setty
Blog: Life Beyond Code | Twitter: @UpbeatNow | Website: Rajesh Setty | Have a Question?

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