Dealing with the information deluge: learning when to paddle out, when to ride the wave and when to relax on the beach.
I don’t watch television. I don’t normally read the newspaper. Most of the news and information I receive is from the internet, books, other print media and documentaries. However, even without television or newspapers, the amount of information available and beckoning creates a whirlwind. I could be reading and researching each and every moment of every day. Add into that medical breakthroughs, ideas from colleagues and pretty soon, I begin to feel overwhelmed by the torrent. But this is not how I choose to live my life. I strive for peace and wellbeing — so what do I do?
For me, the key is balance. I listen to myself and when I feel the “fully loaded” button has been pushed, I stop. Learning to pause is critical. Equilibrium is essential in my life and provides me with a sense of stasis. As it is, the pace of our lives in general is hectic enough without the added deluge of new information.
I’ve also learned to pick and choose. I can’t do everything and I’m okay with that. I know that when I’m stretched too thin, I get cranky. I need my down time and I have learned to respect this. I’m not in a race. The desire to go, go, go needs to be tempered with be, be, be.
So how do you deal with the tidal wave?
