This website covers knowledge management, personal effectiveness, theory of constraints, amongst other topics. Opinions expressed here are strictly those of the owner, Jack Vinson, and those of the commenters.

What's all this about information overload?

Sharon Richardson wrote last month on Information overload? Gimme more!  She suggested that, rather than worry about information overload, we should look to what the digital natives are doing.

Information overload is a potential risk when you are connected to the Internet. Just like getting calorie overload is a potential risk when your mouth is connected to food. If you're worried about overload, you can always stop consuming. ... Trouble is, the digital natives are like those annoying people who claim to eat whatever they want and never gain weight. Information overload appears to be an age-related problem...

It's not clear if this is a claim based on research, or just stating the obvious about digital natives, but it's an interesting perspective.  My wife jokes from time to time that we know we're getting "old" when new technologies start to annoy us, rather than get us excited or seem old hat.

So, what is the right response?  One might be to simply decide what I'm most comfortable with and move along.  Learn how to enjoy the days, where there isn't "too much" and process appropriately on the days where everything is happening.  Certainly, complaining about the overload isn't going to get me very far.

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