information overload

It’s no secret that many introverts have overly active brains that are constantly buzzing with ideas and dreams. Many of us love to feed our ravenous minds with a steady stream of brain candy: great literature, documentaries, TED Talks, interesting articles and informative YouTube videos.

Thanks to that oh-so-handy little invention called “the Internet”, we have immediate access to all the information we could possibly want. And much more.

Want to learn how to write a kick-ass blog post? No problem! Google has your back. In fact, Google can hook you up with 2, 460 000 useful resources on this topic.

Want to find free self-development tools online? You got it! The magical land of the World Wide Web has what you’re looking for. It’s got YouTube videos, blog posts and podcasts galore! It also has free webinars and reports up the wazoo.

If you’re like me, and love to have magical advice and free goodies delivered to your email, your inbox is probably brimming with tons of enticing brain candy.

With all of the information coming at us from so many different sources, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. We become like kids in a candy store. We get so excited about all the tantalizing options that we want to devour it ALL. But then we quickly realize that trying to do so will make us feel sick – in this case, sick in the head.

So, how can we maintain our sanity in a world of information overload? Well, first of all …

Choose wisely

I know it can be very tempting to try to fill up on as much free advice and self-development goodness as you can stuff in your brain. But remember, your time is more valuable than money. Money is a renewable resource. Time is not.

It’s far better to focus on a few high quality resources than to try to take it all in. One thing that has really helped me to more skillfully choose my information sources is focusing on online mentors who share my core values.

For example, when I’m looking for business and marketing advice, I look to female entrepreneurs who are spirit-driven, authentic, and in touch with their feminine power. Even if these mentors provide some of the same advice as others, it resonates with me more because I can better identify with them.

Go for depth instead of breadth

Usually, it’s one piece of golden advice that will make the most difference for you. This means that out of the “10 tips”, or “7 steps” you receive, only one point will truly resonate with you.

Keeping this in mind, once you find that golden tip, stop and dive deeper into that area. Focus in and narrow your search parameters. Reflect on why that topic is important to you right now, and how you can explore it further.

Step away from the computer

Your brain needs time to rest and process all the information it receives on a daily basis. Also, your eyeballs probably need a break from the assaulting glare of the computer screen. Give yourself some time away from your devices, so that you can prevent mental burnout and sore eyes.

(By the way, I actually developed a strange eye-twitch for a couple of weeks after spending excessive amounts of time reading from my iphone. Just FYI, it’s probably a good idea to read stuff on a bigger screen).

Hope that helps! I’d love to hear about your experience with information overload and how you’ve learned to cope. Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Xo,

michalea chung