Information overload is everywhere, from non-stop news to rat-a-tat email inboxes. At the receiving end of this deluge of verbiage is the human brain—your brain— metaphorically endowed with a vacuum cleaner that sucks up information; a container for short-term memory; a blender for integrating information; a memory bank for storing long-term information; a garbage disposal for getting rid of information; and a recycling machine extraordinaire. Using each of these functions effectively is critical if one wants to manage information overload ̶ simply using your brain for crossing items off your to-do list is poor use of a very sophisticated machine. Yet few people build the habits and lifestyles that allow for their brains to function at their best.
The Ways Your Brain Manages Overload, and How to Improve Them
Counterintuitive techniques for when you feel overwhelmed.
June 07, 2017
Summary.
Information overload affects everyone, and much attention is devoted to managing it. But what most people don’t realize is that your brain already employs numerous ways of coping with the deluge — it is constantly absorbing, integrating, connecting, storing, deleting, and recycling information. Better conscious use of all these functions is the key to effectively managing information overload. Simply crossing items off your to-do list, as satisfying as that may be, is a poor use of a very sophisticated machine. Instead, knowing which of the brain’s functions to use, and when and how, gives you more control over your day.