Coping with Information Overload

Information, itâ??s everywhere and this is a good and bad thing.  Information overload has been cited as a major cause in the rise of stress-related diseases.  How can you manage your stress levels without a full-on digital detox?  Try traditional mindfulness meditation techniques.

Mindfulness is using the brainâ??s ability to change and become stronger when trained accordingly.  Calm the mind and body to cope with the overwhelming amount of data coming at you.  When you get in the habit of answering work emails on the weekend, you can feel like itâ??s expected of you all the time.  When youâ??re constantly refreshing your newsfeed, youâ??re going to feel lost without it.  Train your brain to take a break.

For example, I do not conduct business on Sunday.  Sundays are for me and my family.  I do not answer the phone or respond to email.  And so far, the world has still been waiting for me on Monday!

Mindfulness has been studied extensively as a potential tool in managing a number of stress-related conditions.  There is the use of mindfulness as a business tool, too.  Mindful leadership is often viewed as a way to help your team while also being compassionate and thoughtful.

Mindful emailing includes practices such as taking three breaths before responding to a stressful email and thinking twice before emailing your employees.

Social media feeds our desire for constant information sharing.  To mindfully manage your social media accounts, consider your intentions before uploading a feed.  Be authentic in your communications and choose the time you spend on social media rather than falling into it.

Information is everywhere, but you are in control of how you consume it.  Try practicing mindfulness to cope with this constant influx and see how much better you feel.

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A digital marketing expert nationally recognized as the â??webdoc,â? and is the technology correspondent for ABC 7 News and SNN6 where he provides technology advice, website reviews and product news.
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