We’ve never been more connected, but the never-ending assault of information can be difficult to deal with – here’s some advice on how to cope
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Happiful
Sometimes it can feel like our entire day is made up of social media notifications, breaking news alerts, and streams of work and personal messages. A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that 66% of adults felt worn out by the amount of news they were consuming, and it’s having a real impact on our mental well-being according to psychologist Ella McCrystal.
“This information is coming in faster than we can fully digest and understand it. This overload can make us vulnerable to lowered mood, information fatigue and increasing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The impact of attention fragmentation is that we become less productive, less creative and less able to make good decisions.”
Disconnecting from technology entirely isn’t all that practical – so here are some strategies to help you combat the issue of information overload.
Turn off notifications and alerts
One easy change you can make to set boundaries with the outside world is to turn off all of your notifications – email, WhatsApp, or Instagram. “We need to give up the fictitious narrative that we need to be on top of everything,” says Ella. “The reality is that very few things need our attention urgently – so denying these outside influences’ constant access to us is a helpful way to protect our wellbeing. If the thought of turning off all notifications makes you feel anxious though, schedule five minutes every hour or two to check your necessary platforms.”
Schedule blocks of disconnect time
“Giving our brains downtime to process new information input is a critical element of learning and thinking,” Ella explains. “It’s helpful to disconnect at regular intervals during your day – not only will this help you to process what you’ve read and seen, but it’ll also help you to calm any feelings of anxiety it may have sparked.”
Try meditation, or simply sitting quietly and looking out of a window for five-to-ten minutes at points during your day suggests therapist and author Marisa Peer. “While these ‘mindless moments’ might feel like a time-waster, it gives your mind the time to reboot.” If this doesn’t work for you, you could try getting outside for a 10-minute walk without any digital devices, or practising some relaxing yoga poses.
Do a brain dump
One of the main problems with information overload is that it can leave us unable to prioritise – how can we plan our family’s weekly schedule when our mind is full of the world’s political turmoil? An effective solution is to do a ‘brain dump’.
“At the start of the week, write down everything that comes to mind that you want to achieve in the week ahead,” Marisa suggests. You could also journal about any worries or wider issues in your life that you’d like to address; this will help you to get all those jumbled thoughts out of your brain, so you can tackle each of them in a more considered way.
Make bigger decisions in the morning
Marisa also advises making any important decisions that need addressing in the morning before your brain has a chance to become overloaded. This will allow you to think more clearly about your priorities before any distractions pop up. Reserving that time – not every day, but as and when the need comes up – is a great way to honour what is important in your life, rather than what might be grappling for your attention daily.
Look for the positive
The negativity of our media consumption is usually what weighs on us so heavily. To balance this feeling, intentionally seek out stories and connections that make you feel good. Ask your friends about their favourite moments of the day, read positive news sites, offer praise to someone at work, or practise gratitude.
Often, it is these small things that will lift you out of any bleak and overwhelming feelings you may be experiencing.
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