Jan 23

Information Overload = Decision Underload

Jeez! I’ve had it! I am positively and permanently done with feeling overwhelmed by “information.” I get too many emails and too much physical junk mail. I get too many industry publications. I subscribe to too many e-zines and e-newsletters. I surf too many websites.

Now, I can’t control people making requests for my time. I can’t control getting five pieces of direct mail from my insurance company this week alone. I can’t control San Diego Chamber of Commerce members putting me on their company direct mail lists.

I I could feel a bit out of control, given all I can’t control. But, not anymore. I can control the most important thing that governs whether I feel overwhelmed by information overload: Where I invest my attention.

So, to all you wonderful businesspeople who believe that sending your stuff is good marketing (most marketing money provides no positive return on investment), just know this; I am not paying attention to you anymore. Your emails will be deleted by a secretary. Your direct mail tossed in the trash, no matter how compelling you make the offer. Your “personalized” invitations via telephone will be ignored, too.

To focus on achieving my strategic goals and properly executing the many little step needed to get there I will only pay attention to what I need, not what you need.

In the end, information overload is a problem because of decision underload. Poor individual decisions about where we put our attention cause us to bog down our minds in pools of informational nonsense. No more! Won’t you join me? How about doing what I did: Delete YOURSELF from five email lists today. Tell a friend to stop sending his newsletter to you (even if that friend is me. I totally support you in focusing on success.) Stop surfing CNN when you’re bored. Focus on what matters most - achieving your strategic goals. Everything else is just noise.

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