Friday, January 16, 2009

Overcoming Information Overload

Here's an excerpt (from chapter 8) from my new book 'Embracing the Wide Sky' that's appearing on the online version of the 'Advocate' magazine:

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid70108.asp

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I should send this article to the head of my company for whatever good it may do. I have seen quite a change in the past few years in regards to information overload. Several years ago I was doing the work expected of one manager in an exceptionally efficient way and took on other tasks because I wanted to. Now I am trying to do the work that should be distributed to two managers and also two supervisors and multi-tasking like crazy in a very inconsistent and chaotic way due to company restructuring and the over complication of tasks and company standards. I also find it extremely hard as a manager to reprimand people who make mistakes when so much is thrown at them from every angle that I cannot even complete my own job to my satisfaction.
I merely work in a bookstore(perhaps I should try a library?). It should generally be a stress free job that's not over complicated.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the excerpt. About myself i think, that there is a lot of information waiting to be connected and associated. I read a lot, as you name it, on websites, magazines, newspaper, blogs and so on. Plus the input from the work.

Sometimes i get inspired to dive in deeper, sometimes it just floods me and remain somewhere as keywords.

Time passes by.

And so it happens, the very joyful experience i have had, when reading a certain book after a long time again and being able to wire all the content. It became the right time. Before that i just knew, the ideas within this book interests me (and so i kept it over the years), but i was unable to read it.

And so on. Since then i give myself patience, when it comes to learning. If i do not understand something immediately, i put it away. It comes back to me, conscient or not, so or so.

Life! :)

Anonymous said...

Daniel, I have just read your first book with a view to helping me understand a young lad that I have started to work with. He had autistic tendencies although not diagnosed but he is a fab little lad with a big personality and a fascination of numbers and colours. Monday is his 'blue day'. Thank you for your book which has started to give me an understanding of maybe how he feels. I admire you for how you have used your individuality to overcome your difficulties and how you used them to your advantage. With regards the information overload; hallelujiah!!! I feel constantly overcome by the barrage of information I receive from 1001 different places in my day to day life. As a busy mum, worker, studier, voluntary worker I find life is just too much sometimes and I find I reach that point of information overload and find I end up doing nothing well and not taking in the words I read, thinking I should be reading that other article, book, paper text email etc etc etc. I have tried to simplify my life and look more to what life is really about. I refuse to 'do' Facebook but feel abnormal because I don't. I have your new book on order and can't wait to read it. Many best wishes.