Dealing with information overload
Technology can help us work better and faster. But it can also lead to information overload and end up making life more difficult and/or stressful. The amount of data consumed worldwide is now measured in terms of zettabytes (that’s a trillion gigabytes)! With technological advances, we have multiple ways to access emails, texts, voice mails, instant messages, social media updates, and phone calls—at any time of day or night.
Having easy access to information has benefits, but it can keep you from accomplishing necessary tasks and can interfere with your personal time and relationships. One way to stay on top is to develop a system for sorting and managing not only the information, but the amount of time spent using technology.
Reducing overload in your workday
Know your priorities. At the beginning of your workday, make a “to-do” list if you haven’t done so the day before. You may need to rearrange the list as additional priorities crop up, but give less weight to less vital tasks. If you’re not sure how to prioritize your work, talk with your manager.
Minimize distractions when work requires heightened concentration. Make time for focused work by letting co-workers know that you’re unavailable. For example, you could flag your status as “Do Not Disturb” on instant messaging apps, let your phone go to voicemail, set an “out-of-office” or “busy” auto-reply message on your email, and block out time in your schedule. If you work on-site and find that you are frequently interrupted in your workspace, see if you can use an empty office or conference room. Hang a “do not disturb” sign on your door or cubicle.
Managing your incoming communications
At work you may feel pressure to respond immediately to incoming emails, voice mails, instant messages, or texts. Experts recommend the following strategies for coping with the deluge.
Take charge of your email. Check your email at set times during the day. Unless you’re expecting an urgent message, checking your email just two or three times a day—for example, in the morning, after lunch, and before you leave for the day—is enough. Turn off email notifications. Checking each new message as it comes in interrupts your thoughts and makes it hard to accomplish anything else.
Automatically screen your email. Set up rules or filters in your inbox so that spam is deleted and that emails are sorted automatically into separate folders (for example those with a particular subject line or from a certain sender) as soon as they come in. Then you can check those folders at your convenience.
Separate work and personal communications. Get your friends and family to send texts or emails to a personal account, not your work address. This reduces interruptions at work.
Control your instant messaging. Instant messaging apps—such as Teams, Slack and Google Chat–are a common way for teams to communicate and collaborate at work. They’re a convenient way to answer quick questions, brainstorm ideas and share files, and are an essential tool for remote workers and organizations with employees based all over the world. However, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with messages from multiple colleagues, project updates, and shared group chats. If you feel like you’re distracted by waves of digital noise, help is at hand. For example, you can turn off notifications, mute—or leave—group chats that are less relevant to your role, or set your status to ‘busy,’ ‘do not disturb,’ or ‘focusing.’ And just like with email, you can make the choice to only check your instant messages a few times during the day. Remember, even instant messages don’t require an instant response.
Helping others
You can also support others in managing their information overload.
Streamline your email communication. Use specific and detailed subject lines, and try to include a brief reminder of why you are responding so that others don’t have to refer to previous emails. Many teams use collaboration tools for team documents and discussions—these can streamline interactions.
Use email with discretion. Send copies of messages only to people who need them, and avoid using “Reply All” if only one or two people need to hear from you. Consider whether you could resolve the issue more efficiently with a quick phone call or face-to-face conversation instead of sending an email.
Away from work
In our “always on” 24/7 world, information can follow you wherever you go. Here are some tips on coping while away from your workplace.
Take time to disconnect. Spend some time each day disconnected from your devices. Turn them off at a certain hour, or leave them behind while you take a walk or spend time with others. Some people feel rejuvenated by taking “data fasts” where they go an extended period of time without devices.
Make the most of your time away from work. Try to disconnect completely for a while. Ask co-workers, family, and friends to contact you only in an emergency, and try to avoid regularly checking work and personal email. Staying connected during your downtime might negatively impact the benefits of time away from work and stress.
Drive safely. When driving, focus your full attention on the road. If you need to make a call, pull over to a safe location. Talking on a phone while driving raises your risk of having an accident, even if both hands are on the wheel. Never text and drive.
Have a plan and stay focused. If you sit down at your computer or open your device without a plan, an hour can go by before you know it. To save time, make a checklist of what you want to accomplish. This can include checking and responding to email, reading the news, searching for specific information, checking social media, or shopping online. You may also find it helpful to set a time limit for your screen use. This will help you avoid getting drawn into a digital “rabbit hole” or spending hours scrolling through newsfeeds or short videos.
Screen your calls and texts. Letting calls go to voicemail allows you to focus on the activity at hand without interruptions. Return the call at your convenience. Most text messages don’t need immediate responses—turn off alerts so that you can check them at a more suitable time.
Use a separate email address for messages from shopping and social media sites. Don’t let messages from social media sites go to your work email address—the notifications may distract you and may be against company policy. Check the inbox for these addresses no more than once or twice a day before or after work.
Other tips
Share your plan. You may find it easier if you let others know what you’re trying to do and ask for help. For example, you could say to your partner, “I’m going to turn off my phone for 20 minutes so that we can talk. Let’s turn off the TV, too.” Or you could set a “no phones at the dinner table” rule for your family and friends.
Organize. Save digital files or photos in a way that allows you to find what you’re looking for quickly. Set up folders and use filenames that make sense to you and can be easily searched. Saving files to an online service site (for example Google Docs, OneDrive, or iCloud) frees up space on your device and safeguards against losing important documents and memories if your device breaks down. You may also want to store large photo and video files on an external drive.
Reduce the amount of incoming information. Unsubscribe or cancel subscriptions that you don’t read. Avoid giving your email address to retailers who send ads and offers, or create a junk mail account so that these emails don’t clog your important inboxes. Limit the number of people you follow on Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, and other social sites.
Lean on internet tools to simplify tasks. Utilize your browser’s AI assistant to perform quick tasks, like summarizing pages and searching for information (but make sure to check the sources for accuracy). Voice-assistants can also help you find information quickly or set up reminders hands-free. If you’re still getting up to speed with the internet, check out “How to search on Google.” Even experienced users may be surprised by what they can learn.
Think carefully about the technology you use. Make sure any new device—whether it’s a tablet, a fitness tracker, or a smart watch—will really help you before purchasing it. Think about functionality first. There is no point spending a lot of money on the latest handset if you know you only want something to check emails and Facebook.
