How to cut through the noise in today’s busy world
We consume more information in a single day than our ancestors did in a single lifetime. Today’s world is full of noise — and while knowledge can sometimes be power, it can also sometimes be exhausting.
If the title of this article resonates with you — volume down, please — then you’ve landed in the right place. Here are some tips for mastering information overload and reclaiming your attention.
Think about all the places where you receive new information. Your smartphone, inbox, the radio, small talk at work. Write down what you have control over. Can you mute notifications? Go on an unsubscribe spree in your inbox? Avoid certain political pundits on your lunch break? It’s time to spring clean your inputs.
Some people love wearing a smartwatch and getting notifications straight to their wrist. Others find this chaotic and stressful. Pay attention to what works for you — and what doesn’t. What makes your heart rate go up a notch? What helps you feel calm and connected? Don’t be afraid to buck the trend. Just because everyone else is doing something, doesn’t mean you need to.
Downtime is essential for wellbeing, but it’s so easy to lose any time you dedicated to rest to doom-scrolling. Protect your downtime as fiercely as possible. That time you spend watching your favourite show, enjoying a hobby, or pottering around in the garden is so vital. Set boundaries and stick to them.
You don’t have to be on all the social media platforms, have all your notifications turned on, or read the news first thing in the morning. Many of these are habits, not rules of life. Living in full noise is common in today’s world, but it’s not a given. There’s still time to change your habits for the better.