Information Overload

There has never been a time in history when access to information has been as easy as it is now.

As a kid in school, I remember getting an assignment and asking my mum to take me to the library to find information on what I needed. I'd spend at least a couple of hours trawling through books, bookmarking the pages and photocopying what I thought may be useful.

Oh jeepers and I had to use coins for the photocopy machine - I'm that old!

I'd then have to take all that paper home and highlight the good bits before finally digesting it and starting on my project.

We now have access to a million times more information, for free, by simply typing one prompt. Not only that, we have PAs that can pull the exact information we need and create a first draft of the project.
In seconds!

Great right?
Not so great. This tsunami of information has started to create some serious problems for us.

You decide to buy some gym equipment, so you jump on Google, find a supplier or two and place your order. Suddenly, you're bombarded on social media and even in your email inbox for the next few days with adverts and offers.

Too many decisions drain your brain of energy - decision fatigue is a real.

And, then if you've already bought the product, you are guaranteed buyer’s remorse because there were 13 other options, and 5 of them were discounted.
Now this is happening to us with every decision we make on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
It's no wonder we're becoming more anxious, we're depressed and unmotivated.

The average adult's attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds today. To put that in an embarrassing perspective that's shorter than a goldfish's.

Do you think this isn't you? Or, "it's really not that bad"? Well, you're wrong on both accounts. I'd be prepared to bet $1k it's you and $10k that it's worse than you realise.
Recent studies have found correlations between information overload and a bunch of mental challenges. Here are the ones that should actually worry you:

• Reduced ability to hold your concentration

• Impaired memory formation

• Reduced creativity - because your brain is simply too exhausted!

One particularly concerning aspect for me is the impact on deep thinking.
When constantly switching between information sources, we train our brains for shallow processing rather than deep understanding. Nicholas Carr explores this in "The Shallows," suggesting that our neural pathways are being rewired for skimming rather than deep reading.

The good news is that we can reclaim our mental space quite easily. We just need to make conscious decisions and have a teensy, tiny bit of willpower.

What I'm focusing on to take back control:

I’ve turned off ALL notifications: I have ZERO pop-up notifications on my phone. I get the tiny dot on the app that lets me know something is there, and this is the key part, when I am ready to check it.

I unfollow pages with no useful content: If you're not already conscious about curating your social media feeds, you're doing yourself a disservice. Next time you scroll past the same account without even looking, ask yourself: "Do I even pay attention to this account?" If the answer is rarely - remove it.
Less is more kids!

No phone pre- and post-bedtime: This has been a game changer for me. I also know it's one of the hardest for people I speak to. Get off your phone at least 1 hour before bed. And, don't open any social media or email apps in the first 30-60 minutes of waking up. I won't dig too deep into it, but that surge of cortisol you get so early in the morning is not good for you.

Use real-life books for deeper reading: Again, this one isn't for everyone, but even if you don't read books, there are amazing long-form newsletters available now. Just rest your brain from context switching for a while. And, you may learn something valuable in the process - how terrible!

Cut out ALL news: This is last, but it's a big one.
The rebuttal here is, "But then, how will I know what's going on in the world?" And that's precisely the point. You do not need to know EVERY SINGLE thing happening in the world. We're not built to handle all that stress, all the time.
Trust me, you'll find out about anything important that affects you.

You don't even have to do all at once, a great start would be acknowledging where you are right now and making small, conscious decisions to improve. Actually, an excellent first start is, after you doom scroll on IG for 10 minutes, just before you're about to open the next social app - don't. See if you can simply do that for a few days.

Remember how much time we used to spend just thinking, without constant input? Maybe it's time we got back to some of that mental quiet.
Let me know what information diet tricks are working for you - I'm always looking for new ways to keep the digital tsunami at bay.

Poddles of the Week

A Powerful Story of Overcoming Addiction, PTSD & Bi-Polar - Cory Richards on Rich Roll.

Get ready to be inspired! Imagine climbing Everest without oxygen, battling the world's most extreme conditions, and then facing an even tougher climb: the landscape of your own mind. That's just a glimpse into the life of Cory Richards.
In this episode, Cory opens up about his gripping memoir, "The Color of Everything," sharing his incredible triumphs and the deeply personal struggles with bipolar disorder that have shaped him.

His raw honesty is like diving into the Atlantic in winter. Prepare to be moved, challenged, and utterly captivated.

Recent Purchase I’m Loving

My wife and I have been going to a few more parties over the last few months. We both love house music, glorious DJs and dancing for a few hours.

Some people buy sports cars when they hit 40 - we’re dancing!

Anyway, when we leave a party, my ears ring for hours.
So I bought myself a pair of Loop Experience earplugs - game changer! You still get a fantastic experience and all the bass feels, it just turns the volume down a little.

Side Note - also amazing for kids’ parties!

And, that’s all folks!

Thank you for reading the latest edition of my newsletter.
As always, comments and feedback are more than welcome.

And, please don’t be shy to share this with a friend or family member. Each week, I’ll share something that helps us find balance.

Peace, love and growth.
Jazza

PS - Did you know?

I work with a small, select group of founders and business owners.
Some want a co-pilot for their business, and some want coaching to find balance.

I am fully booked at the moment, but reach out for a short 15-minute chat and let’s get you on the waiting list.

Tell me what keeps you up at night.
Let’s Chat