How to Avoid Being Overwhelmed By Information

Are you easily overwhelmed by stuff you see online? Sometimes you need to avoid being overwhelmed by information you find online. Skipping around from website to website can cut down on your productivity, and it can stress you out.

 

I love to search for ideas and information online. Sometimes it’s just fun to search around and check out different ideas on Pinterest. Other times, you need to find specific information.

Last week one of my sons was very sick, so of course I started searching for information about his symptoms. If I had taken all of the information I found seriously, I would have been convinced that my baby had a combination of the measles/ebola/chicken pox.

He didn’t have any of these conditions, thankfully, but I was surprised at how much some of the information I did find blew things out of proportion.

I learned a valuable lesson about the importance of sticking to credible websites for health information. Actually, I would have been much better off if I had just waited for my son’s doctor to call me back before turning to my computer for advice.

So, how can you avoid being overwhelmed with information you find online?

Ways to Avoid Being Overwhelmed By Information

• Create an information-gathering goal for yourself. What are you hoping to find online? It helps to write down exactly what you’re looking for so you don’t get sidetracked.
• Set a limit for how long you’ll search for information online. If you’re deliberate about it, you can usually find what you need within 15 minutes. Even if you’re just surfing the web for fun, it’s good to set a time limit.
• Go to sites you know and trust first. Especially if you’re searching for information about health conditions, opt for well-known sources, rather than websites that lack authority or seem to be selling you a lot of stuff.
• Stay on track. It’s tempting to click on different links that sound interesting, but stick to your goal of finding the information you need. When your time is up, get off the computer.
• Try not to search for information close to bedtime. Or in the middle of the night. Most things can wait until the morning. Searching for information when it’s time to sleep can make it harder for you to fall asleep later. It can also contribute to having a racing mind in the middle of the night instead of restful sleep.

I hope these ideas will help you avoid being overwhelmed by information you find online. Happy searching and researching!

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