Too many browser tabs? How do I fix “The Tab Trap.”
My mind is like my web browser tabs. 50 tabs are open, I am not sure what to read next, and I have no idea where the video sound is coming from.
Introduction
While some of us will not be having that many browser tabs as shown in the picture above, most of us do have quite a bit. Here’s what my open browser tabs look like, on a typical day.
With so many open tabs, I feel overwhelmed, unfocused and just going round and round … What didn’t get read today will show up again tomorrow because I have fear of losing key information.
The Tab Trap issue is even more overwhelming when we think about how many devices / browsers / windows that we have:
- multiple laptops and multiple devices (laptops, phones, tablets)
- multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge etc)
- multiple browser windows (Each browser can have a few windows open, with each window contains open tabs)
This article focused on Chrome browser but the ideas are the same for all other browsers.
Information Overload and Unfocused
So what are the problems of having too many open browser tabs?
- inability to focus while we’re viewing and working with webpages. We switch from one tab to another throughout the day. Count how many times you switch tabs throughout the day. If we can measure, we can improve.
- shallow work — task switching creates short attention spans and results in shallow work.
- overwhelmed and lethargy — feel like work and reading never gets done
- snowballing — it seemed open tabs create even more open tabs
Reasons we choose to fall into The Tab Trap
Here are the common reasons of why we have so many open browser tabs:
- Research: Today’s job requires us to learn new things fast and as comprehensive as possible. One link leads to another, and another, and it eventually distract us from our main objective. We are lost in all the links, tweets and YouTube videos. To be honest, it is not entirely our fault as the clever algorithms of modern systems including YouTube are trying to keep us within their system. They know what we likes and has setup traps to distract us in our online journey. Nevertheless, as a responsible individual, we can create that awareness and get back to our focus.
With awareness comes our power.
- FOMO / Greed / Perfection: Fear of missing out on key information when researching new topic. In addition, I love to do comprehensive research and I want to include as much information as possible (read ‘information hoarding’). Part of my reasons I believe is driven by green and I need to learn when to stop.
- Environmental Distractions and Multi-tasking: In today’s world, especially pandemic times, my tech jobs require me to check emails, check my Slack, check Microsoft Team etc. This has subsconciously create shallow work where multi-tasking becomes a necessity. It also create an environment where it is ok to leave work items open, as we multi-task between different communication channels and work.
- Confusion between brain work and computer processing. In other words, failure to understand how our brain works. We think of computer as an extension of our brain but in reality, our brain and the computer are really very different thing, each has its own strength and weaknesses. We overestimate what our brains are capable of in terms of storing information. Our brain is meant to be creative and not processing too much information i.e. browser tabs.
- Clever Algorithms of social media platform to keep us in the loop.
What are your reasons? Comment below if your experience is different.
My Earlier Solution: Bookmark Manager
In my earlier days, I have tried to use Bookmark Manager in Chrome, to organize all the bookmarks by folder, by date, by topic. I also have these bookmarks sync across all devices in Chrome. It worked initially, but over time, I have collected even more bookmarks, and need more ways to organize these 20,000+ bookmarks.
Long story short, I am still feeling overwhelmed and unproductive. This led me to think the ultimate solution is not technology. It is mental and psychological.
Mental Solution First
- Have a goal for the day. In fact, have very few important goals for the day. Keep yourself very focused and results-driven.
- Do deep work and block out 1–2 hours of uninterrupted focus time.
- Recognize that we are human, not an information processor or information organizer.
- Understand that information has an expiration date. In today’s world, most information gets outdated very fast. Hoarding information or bookmarks are useless once the information past its useful age.
- Understand that we can always go back to the internet and do more research. There is no need to FOMO in as the web sites are not shutting down anytime soon. In fact, understand Pareto Principle (80/20 rules) that 20% of bookmarks will give us 80% of contents. The rest are diminishing returns.
- Understand that we need to use the strength of our brain supplemented by the computer. Use our brain for creative work such as problem solving and generation of new ideas.
- Ask The Right Questions and Always Questioning. Questions are powerful personal growth tools, especially the right questions. Ask does this article add value to my life?
Successful people ask better questions to get better answers.
— Anthony Robbins
Followed by Use of Technology
- Use your browser’s “bookmark all tabs” for later reference if the number of tabs becomes overwhelming for you, say around 7. Create a folder to store all the bookmarks.
- Maximize your reading window so that it is the only thing that is open.
Summary: Focus and Deep Work
The rarest commodity in today’s world is FOCUS.
With so much resources and information available on the internet, it is important that we stay focus and tap these precious resources effectively. There has never been a greater time for human brain to shine and accelerate our progress.
If you are in The Tab Trap, overcoming this challenge will give you the following benefits:
- Simplicity, Calm and Focused
- Feeling Accomplished end of the day
I wish you the best in your journey. Thank you for reading.
What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore — plays in defining the quality of our life.
— Cal Newport, “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World”
