It’s About Time to Embrace Information Minimalism

We’re constantly bombarded with information from many different resources on the internet.

According to experts, an average person sees 4,000 to 10,000 ads daily! It’s naive to think that this information will make us more informed because they are generated for another purpose.

For example, most of what we pay attention to on social media benefits others, either by buying something from them or contributing to their agenda or narrative.

So, to have peace of mind, minimizing your exposure to unnecessary information isn’t a bonus but a necessity.

Without wasting any time, let’s find out why:

Understanding information overload:

To describe what information overload feels like, imagine you want to buy a car and have collected lots of information about different cars, but you can’t decide which one to buy.

In this situation, you’ve inundated yourself with more information than you can process. This extra information may even backfire, resulting in making poorer decisions.

A common misconception exists that hoarding more information leads to better knowledge.

However, this information overload can sometimes lead to analysis paralysis and a productivity nosedive.

So, digital minimalism is a great way to prevent the consequences of information overload.

The essence of information Minimalism:

“Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.” — John Maeda

The essence of information minimalism is equal to other areas where being minimalistic benefits you which is “Less is more.”

Just like decluttering your room increases your peace of mind and productivity, removing unnecessary information from your mind allows you to concentrate on what truly matters.

So, let’s reiterate what I already said: the less garbage information, the more focus on what matters.

How to embrace Information minimalism:

1- Prioritize quality over quantity:

“In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.” — Donny Miller

A whole host of resources on the internet can each east away a portion of your precious time and energy.

But, as Sturgeon’s law suggests, “90 percent of everything is crap.” Ninety percent of what you see on the internet is just time-fillers and nonsense.

Instead of drowning yourself in the ocean of nonsense resources, choose a trusted one and stick to it. Sometimes, reading a bad book is worse than not reading at all.

Keep your library small but full of quality books. Reading a good book over and over is better than reading lots of mediocre books.

2- Set boundaries:

“Clutter is the enemy of clarity.” — Dan Rockwell.

We have limited resources of attention, so you need to know how to manage it.

Sometimes, a tiny notification beep is enough to hijack our attention and diminish our work quality.

Besides limiting the number of information resources, you must also limit the time you spend consuming them.

For example, I don’t check my email immediately after I wake up because negative news or stressful messages can disrupt my attention for the whole day.

If you’re like me, I highly recommend checking your email and other potential stressors late at night or at the end of your working day.

3- Practice mindful consumption:

Cherish the value of the time you spend reading.

Don’t read just for the sake of reading, but Read with the intent of learning something new and valuable.

After reading, ask yourself: What did it add to my knowledge? Trying to answer this question forces you to practice mindful reading.

4- Balance Input with Action:

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” — William James.

What’s the point of gathering information without taking action on it?

For some, being knowledgeable is an end-point because they want to impress others with their intellect.

However, what you learn is a means for improving your life.

If the material you read doesn’t serve this purpose, you only wasted much of your mental energy on it.

5- Lightening the cognitive load:

Information minimalism is a great way to conquer the paralyzing feeling of having too many options and information in your head.

When you know how to limit your exposure to innumerable information on the Internet, your decision-making processes will be much more transparent.

The payoff: Clarity, Focus, and innovation:

When you cut ties with unnecessary information, you focus on what truly matters.

By emptying your mental space, you leave more room for your creativity.

Remember that your mind isn’t designed to memorize facts, statistics, or minutiae, but It’s designed to make innovative connections between different ideas to create something new.

Learn the principles of every field and don’t obsess over the minute details of them.

I would greatly appreciate your support if you found this blog post enjoyable or helpful. If you’re willing, you can show appreciation by buying me a coffee.