4 tricks to fix your information diet from a former screen-zombied news addict.
Distracted? Stressed? Anxious and too busy to think? You may be consuming too much information.
A growing share of our every day is spent skimming, scrolling, and swiping next, and we have less and less time to process the information we find enjoyable or informative.
Skipping the processing part contributes to overloading ourselves, making us feel overwhelmed, distracted, or anxious.
If, after a long day, with all the chaos flooding the world, you are relaxing with yet another screen… well, you’re not relaxing at all.
1. Introduce variation and alternate your content.
Sandwiches are great, but a baguette with bread is nobody’s favourite for a reason. Sandwich some feel-good content between horrors or news, and read something lighter between academic papers.
Don’t judge yourself for enjoying content optimised for your pleasure and attention, but be intentional about what you try to achieve. Differentiate between “Now I’m getting smarter by reading a book” and “Now I will shut my brain off and relax while watching people power-wash pavements”.
Just be mindful that it is hard to have a good life if your only sources of nutrition are chips and chewing gum.
2. Stay a little longer with things that resonate with you by bookmarking them.
Bookmarking and actually getting back to things you have bookmarked is an art.
Start using indexing stickers or underlining things in physical books, and use Pocket, Readwise or Instapaper for online content and ebooks.
The simple context switch of bookmarking something will help you stay with the content that resonated with you a little longer and give you a moment to reflect on it.
3. Be mindful of your eyes, whether you are binging, skimming, or reading.
Introduce breaks every now and then. Close your eyes for a moment or stare into the distance for a minute.
Consider moving most of your reading to your eyes favourite device if you are a Kindle user with a service like KTool.
4. Introduce reflection breaks and go back to your bookmarks for extra insights from the aftertaste.
Content makes us feel in various ways. If something resonates with you, give it a moment and analyse it to learn more about yourself.
If a piece of content inspires an idea, write it down, make a screenshot or record a quick note. Embrace the magic moment. Inspiration is perishable. Act on it immediately.
And remember to get back to your bookmarks and analyse them.
There is a big chance something has resonated with you because there is an idea, inspiration or a long-forgotten memory waiting for you just around the corner of your subconscious.
Start with these simple tricks to reclaim the thrill of exploring the endless supply of great content out there.
Enjoy responsibly.
Read this one next to improve your presentations. 👇
