5 Essential Tips to Reduce Information Overload (& Overcome Analysis Paralysis)

Unsubscribe and unfollow people ruthlessly

You’re buried in information overload and it’s everywhere.

Stuck in analysis paralysis, you sit there staring at an empty space on the wall. It’s like a computer running too many programs at once. And you’re the spinning wheel of death.

I know the feeling.

I’ve been stuck — buried under loads of information I couldn’t crawl out from under.

The paralysis is numbing.

It feels like your brain made a whirring noise then shut down.

That’s been me for the better part of 12 months. But it’s time I take measure to reduce information overload and overcome analysis paralysis.

Here’s how I’m doing it.

Tip 1: The Tab Takeover

You know what it’s like. You’ve got 3 computer windows open, each running 24 tabs.

Not only is your computer slow, but your mind is as well.

Your brain feels like it has as many tabs open.

No wonder you feel stressed.

Take the opportunity to close out your tabs.

Close out the tabs you’re done with. For the ones you’re still working with, put them in a new folder and name it whatever you want.

Bookmark those pages and go back to them later when you’re not overwhelmed.

You can also open a document and paste all the links there.

Find a way to free up your computer, and it’ll free up your mind, too.

Tip 2: The Mental Oasis

Once you’ve freed up your computer, close the screen and walk away.

Take a mental break. You need and deserve it.

Mental breaks serve as a great opportunity to relax and reboot.

Use the opportunity to do something enjoyable.

Personally, I like to relax by putting on music and dancing. It’s freeing to move my body and have fun.

Sometimes, I’ll just sit, close my eyes, and listen. It’s like giving your brain a bath.

Avoid doing things that will cause mental strain. You want to rest.

For you, it may be to:

Write in your journal
Pick up a familiar read
Move in a joyous way

You can do whatever feels fun to you.

Tip 3: The News Fast

I stopped reading and watching the news years ago when I realized the impact it was having on my mental health.

I always came out of it feeling upset, hopeless and drained.

The news is built like that on purpose.

It’s designed to rile you up and get a reaction. That’s how they get their views.

But it leaves you with compassion fatigue and exhaustion.

Skip the news. You’ll learn about anything important going on through family and friends.

Tip 4: The Social Stopwatch

Social media can have a negative impact on your mental health.

It’s not that way across the board, but when you constantly engage with the “perfect people,” it wears you thin.

I used to follow many people on social media, some of my favorite celebrities and advocates. But I was surrounded by unrealistic feeds demanding too much from me.

I couldn’t take the shame and jealousy, so I deleted them.

Unsubscribe and unfollow those people ruthlessly. They set up unrealistic expectations.

Curate your feed exclusively to hashtags and people that make you feel good.

There’s no point following someone if it’s going to hurt you. If you can’t bring yourself to unfollow, mute them.

Tip 5: The Focus Funnel

Once you’re ready to get back to work, get a pen and a piece of paper.

Before you open your computer, set an intention for what you’ll do.

Take a minute to figure out what you need to work on before your computer decides for you.

Keep that task in the forefront and focus on finishing that one thing.

Avoid multitasking. Distractions are time and energy killers.

Set a timer and work on your task until the timer goes off.

Final Thoughts

I started this, unable to think straight. I couldn’t focus — there was too much overwhelm in my head.

So, I took a deep breath and removed myself from the equation.

I let myself relax and avoided information and technology. I put on some music, danced around the kitchen with my dog, and made a pizza.

I feel so much better.

Remove yourself from information overload.

Take a step back and breathe.

Relax, then focus.

Back to it.

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