Everyone in today's 24/7 connected world has dealt with information overload. When you try to improve your life in some way, whether it's changing your diet plan, investment strategy, or exercise plan, you have to start doing some research. While we generally think that the wealth of information at our fingertips is a good thing, too much information is bad for your health, sanity, and goals. To keep you from becoming overwhelmed with the amount of information out there, here are five ways to help you prevent information overload.
1. Stop Researching
Whether it's researching the best nutrition plans or the best way to get your kid to sleep through the night, it's too easy to get caught up in gathering information and fail to take action. To help dig you out of the information overload, the first thing you need to do is to stop researching. You need to spend a few days detoxing from your infusion of information until you can regain your energy.
2. Take Action
Whether you feel like you have all the information you need, it is essential for you to take action on your plan. Just doing something will immediately make you feel like all the weight of all the information you've gathered slides right off your shoulders. An action is, in and of itself, a great motivator. Just taking the first steps in your plan will provide you with more confidence.
3. Chose a Few Trustworthy Sources
When you're conducting your research, select a few sources that you trust and rely on them for the bulk of your information. While there is the potential that you may miss out on the latest and greatest information, chances are higher that you'll end up disappointed with the results and stressed due to information overload.
4. Be Suspicious of Internet Forums
Use message boards and forums sparingly. While many forums are carefully moderated, allowing for only the clearest and most straightforward answers to be displayed, there are many more that aren't. If you visit forums often and have found several contributors to be trustworthy, you can rely on them as your trusted source.
5. Relax
Before the Internet was invented, people were able to eat right, exercise, raise their children, and save money. One of the most effective ways to share information and learn new things is through word of mouth, so consider talking face-to-face more and leave the virtual world behind.
The abundance of immediate information at our fingertips can be both a blessing and a curse, so be careful when you are online and dont become a victim of information overload.