Are You Becoming Info Obese? Try The Silence Diet

We spend oodles of our time online, from social media to new sites and more. According to The American Diet: 34 Gigabytes a Day, an article published in New York Times by Nick Bilton, Americans consume more than a whopping 34 Gigabytes of content each day. And that was back in 2009. Now, an average American comes across over 100000 words in a single day. What an eye-opener, right? The problem with such an information overload is that it can be quite stressful, if not downright overwhelming.

Too much information can leave anyone feeling usurped, “feverish ….drained and weak.” Tellingly, today’s Americans need to switch off their screens and go on a “silent diet.”

“Infobesity”

According to Ephrat Livni in his article If information overload is stressing you out, go on a silence diet, too much information can make you distracted, cranky, ineffective, and emotionally and intellectually bloated hence developing “infobesity.” Bingeing on information can cause this information obesity that has gained increased traction in the entrepreneurial scene. After all, our brains can only handle so much bandwidth of data according to the Cognitive-load theory. That is why you need to limit your information load to keep infobesity at bay. That’s right; choosiness enhances information intake.

Information Balance Diet

With infobesity an increasing concern across a spectrum of industries, it is now more critical than ever to balance your information diet. When you think your information overload is taking a toll on you, it is paramount to read content without listening to music or reading text messages. In short, go “silent.” It’s that simple, but the concept can do wonders for your productivity and stress management.

Think of your focus as a precious resource

Again, our brains can only take so much information; that is why you need to limit your information overload. Your attention can bear the brunt of a beating from too much information. Think of it as a precious resource – and protect it like a national forest.

Go on a “silent diet.”

Infobesity is already a rampant problem across the country. If you think information balanced diet cannot do the trick, you need to go “silent” according to Ephrat Livni. That means switching off screens – taking a break from technology, stop talking, and enjoy something like yoga or meditation.

Do you think information overload is stressing you? Give yourself a break today. Read the full article here.

The post Are You Becoming Info Obese? Try The Silence Diet appeared first on Lifehack.