{"id":1521,"date":"2020-07-28T13:47:23","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T13:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/keithjlang.com\/?p=1521"},"modified":"2022-10-19T10:05:20","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T10:05:20","slug":"digital-overload","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keithjlang.com\/digital-overload\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Digital Information Overload? [And Steps To Deal With It]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

How getting into nature and disconnecting from technology helps you take control of your life and achieve success. Embrace the meditative qualities of outdoor pursuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information Overload \u2013 The Modern Problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Apps that solve human problems make a lot of money. When millions of people pay for something, it\u2019s the sign of a true need; a deep-rooted desire for something. Mindfulness apps<\/strong> and software that prevents us browsing social media and click-bait websites are hot tickets right now. We download these apps in the millions in the hope of fixing deep seated problems. Why is that? Didn\u2019t we get our phones and devices to enjoy all the benefits of the connected web?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s clear we\u2019ve lost track of what\u2019s important. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re constantly connected to the internet and regularly browsing our phones. And we\u2019re perpetually distracted as a result. Modern living has left us no time for solitude<\/strong>. By solitude, I mean being alone with our thoughts. As Cal Newport, author of Deep Work puts it, \u201csolitude is a subjective state in which you\u2019re isolated from input from other minds<\/em>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can be with people but alone with our own minds. And this is important because without reflection and \u201calone time\u201d, your brain cannot function to its potential. Apart from the negative effects on intelligence, the inability to extract oneself from the constant digital chatter leads to depression, anxiety, and poor performance in all areas of life, including work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Detox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Digital detox is the concept of removing oneself from distractions from electronic devices and communication channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s one thing to slim down digital media consumption. It\u2019s another one entirely to get back in touch with a very important computational machine: your brain. The brain is an analog device, but still outperforms any computer on the planet. Most of the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that might be changing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, we don\u2019t seek out information. Thanks to social media, we\u2019re force fed content we didn\u2019t ask for. We\u2019ve become passive consumers. We know what celebrities are up to and we\u2019re all watching the same viral videos. We\u2019re hit with 3000 marketing messages<\/a> a day. Our bosses and coworkers send us emails, reports and demands, all 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pride ourselves on having our fingers on the pulse of the news. We\u2019re connected and informed. But this will not make us happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re shaking your head now in disagreement, ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n