Digital detox: 6 ways to avoid information overload

A 2015 poll showed people spend as many as 6.3 hours every day, just checking emails


Entertainment Desk December 27, 2016
PHOTO: HUFFINGTON POST

If this isn’t the first article, tweet or Facebook post you’re reading today, you’re probably not the only one. A 2015 poll showed people spend as many as 6.3 hours every day, just checking emails. And earlier this year, Facebook reported its users spend an average of 50 minutes daily on its site, including the messaging app.

Approximately 20% of people in the US alone reported feeling overwhelmed by “information overload” in a Pew survey reported earlier this month, as compared with 27% reporting the same thing in a 2006 survey. What’s more, the number of people who report they like having so much information at their fingertips has increased too. About 77% of people like having so much information this year, compared to 67% in 2006.

“Even though there are greater flows of information flying around, we think the fact that people have more tools to help them allows them to deal with it,” the report’s author John Horrigan, a senior research at Pew, said.

But what makes you feel less overwhelmed? Are you still looking for a way to feel less inundated by the constant stream of content from social media, email, TV and other sources? As compiled from The Huffington Post, here’s what can help you cope.

1) Skip the alerts

PHOTO: PINTEREST PHOTO: PINTEREST

A good place to start would be to put all – or at least some – of your smartphone alerts off. We know it’s hard but try and log in only when you have spare time, as opposed to every moment my phone dings. It helps you stay centered and on task.

A little “MIT for Pakistan”

2) Personalise your news feeds

2 PHOTO: NEW YORK TIMES

The personalisation options on social media websites are there for a reason. Use them to make your news feed personal so you can choose exactly what kind of ‘posts’ you want to see pop up on the page.

3) Log off

PHOTO: PINTEREST PHOTO: PINTEREST

Most people do not realise how important it is to go on a social media detox from time to time and indulge in other hobbies that we would have, had the internet not been created. Take up a sport, painting, cooking… anything, other than browsing your smartphone.

10 Pakistani women who made us mighty proud in 2016

 4) Prioritise  

PHOTO: PINTEREST PHOTO: PINTEREST

At times, some postings are not personal and some news is sensationalised and written with an agenda. Therefore, prioritise what you read. There’s a key difference between something that is urgent and something that is important.

5) Unfollow and unsubscribe  

PHOTO: PINTEREST PHOTO: PINTEREST

Take out some time and clear your email subscriptions every now and then. On social media, clear out pages posting too much fake, clickbait, sensationalised news or articles. Unfollow all feeds that work your nerves - this includes that Facebook friend who loves uploading photographs from her wedding two years ago.

6) Clean your house 

PHOTO: PINTEREST PHOTO: PINTEREST

Just because you’ve got over 900 friends/followers on social media does not make you popular. Besides, is there really any point to keeping that one classmate from second grade on your list when you know you’ll never see them again?

Have something to add in the story? Share it in the comments below.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ