Information overload can happen to anyone in any role. Between the email threads, the CRM tasks, the Slack pings — it can feel like your brain is juggling dozens of requests and customer inquiries all day long. It’s enough to tank your focus and leave you frazzled.
Writer Antoinette Cooper points out research from Columbia Business School that shows that the average knowledge worker must process, either consciously or subconsciously, the equivalent of 174 newspapers of information every day.
What’s a promo pro to do? You can stay sharp and clear-headed, regardless of what comes your way, by following a few tips. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share some guidance from Cooper on how you can deal with information more intentionally.
1. Be selective. With so many emails, meetings and projects, Cooper says knowledge workers have to become the gatekeepers of their own time and attention. If you’re not choosy about how you invest your time, you may end up becoming more reactive. Consider what you can delegate and what is most urgent. This way, you can devote your brainpower in the most focused way.
2. Identify 3 to 5 priorities. Most of us can remember 7 things, give or take, at any time. If you have to keep looking at your to-do list, that’s a problem, Cooper says. Narrow down your priorities to the top 3 to 5 things that matter most. By getting very specific, you can proactively approach information processing rather than reacting to every piece of information available.
3. Determine what’s most important. Not all decisions are equally important. If you let yourself get bogged down in the small stuff, you’re more prone to the effects of information overload. Instead, Cooper recommends identifying where a decision or choice falls on the hierarchy of importance. This can help you determine how much time to invest in it.
4. Put a time limit on information gathering. Otherwise, Cooper says you can get sucked into the information and choice overload. To avoid the rabbit hole, set a time limit for research and exploring. Be strategic about it. Turn off all your notifications and dedicate the time you determine to the task at hand.
5. Schedule related tasks together. This can help with information overload. Because you’re working on similar tasks for a set time block, you’re more likely to get into a rhythm and less likely to get stuck in a mental rut.
When you learn how to properly manage information, you can reclaim your focus and make space for deeper work. Instead of responding to every email or text immediately, be intentional with your time. You’ll save yourself some stress and allow yourself to make meaningful progress.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Antoinette Cooper is a writer who contributes to the Slack blog.
