In a world where information is touted as an individual’s (and a company’s) greatest asset, you have no choice but to soak up all the wisdom you can get. Sure, it’s easier said than done. With more information available than ever before–and with fewer people doing more of the work–it’s surprising we haven’t drowned in the glut of information. The fallout is high stress (because you’re not performing at the level you or your manager may think you should be); poor time management (reducing the amount of time you spend on other responsibilities); and retention of useless information (which decreases brain RAM available for more readily needed knowledge).

Here are a few real-life tips to cut through the clutter and tame information overload:

1. Know what information is important to you.

Poison: Many people suffer from read-everythingitis: the tendency to read (or listen to, or watch) anything and everything available in a quest to build a massive repertoire of knowledge. Unless you’re some kind of rare Wunderkind, slam on the brakes. Not only are you wasting valuable time absorbing unnecessary information, you’re creating a dam of information to review. When that dam cracks, you find yourself drowning in information overload.

Antidote: Spell out what information is most valuable to you and why. Set goals and a personal mission so you know what to look for and research. Be a conscious incompetent: know what you don’t know and what you need to know, and fill the gap. This technique will give you direction, and allow you to select information you want and ignore the worthless stuff.

2. Turn on your sonar and scan the environment.

Poison: If you think CEOs, management experts and the like read everything word-for-word, you’re crazy. If you can’t cut through the clutter, how can they? Take a look at your inbox right now. There’s probably a mountain of materials for you to go through in that tiny wire basket alone.

Antidote: Practice the art of scanning. With a clear direction of what information you need (see #1), you’ll be able to scan a publication, a seminar announcement, web content, a pitch over the phone or an e-mail box filled to the rim, and discover if you should devote more time and energy to the material. And remember what top scholars say: Memorizing information isn’t what’s important; knowing where to find information when you need it is the key.

3. Know what tools are available, and how to use them.

I’ve been using an example of reading to gather information throughout this article, but reading is by no means the only source of information. Take a moment to brainstorm all of the places you can pick up knowledge–and from whom–and use them to their fullest. This list might jump start your thinking:

• Over the Internet
  
• At lunch with a colleague
  
• In a publication related to your hobby, not your job
  
• From a novel
  
• During professional development programs
  
• At the gym
  
• During volunteer work

4. Exchange ideas with other people.

Poison: Okay, if you’re stuck in the mother-lode of information, realize that you’re only one person, with many responsibilities–one of them being to stay on top of current events and trends in business. Look around and realize that your colleagues must be clawing their way out of information overload, too.

Antidote: You know when you circulate all those publications for the entire office to read? Why not begin a campaign of highlighting relevant information, tabbing specific articles that would be useful for a person or project, and photocopying and posting tidbits that deserve extra attention?

These techniques allow everyone to cut back on the amount of time spent scanning a publication, and reduce the chance that you’ll miss important information because you’re simply trying to get through a mountain of it. Other approaches that work here at IVC include keeping a library of topical articles, keeping a “tidbit” file, and sharing knowledge at discussion sessions and staff meetings.

5. Make it second nature.

Poison: People who think, “As soon as I get through this pile, I’ll be okay” are fooling themselves. There’s always more to learn and more to do. In fact, this hoarding-then-purging attitude marks the onset of information overload.

Antidote: Make it happen every day, all day–even when you’re not at work. The best managers of information know that building knowledge is a continual and necessary effort. By incorporating learning practices (like the ones listed above) into your schedule you’ll always be in the knowledge loop–and have the most up-to-date, valuable information, helping you do your job better.

The other side of the coin

‘Fess up, communicators and CEOs. We’ve been quoted as saying, “you can’t over communicate.” Well, actually, you can. The important thing is to communicate effectively and efficiently–and enough. More does not equal better. When considering our own needs to cut through the white noise of mass communication, we have to put our communication habits in check.

To be sure we’re not adding to the glut of information, start questioning when, why, how and where you’re communicating, rather than going through the traditional motions of sending out a memo, for example. Here’s a start:

• Is this communication overkill, or truly necessary?
  
• Who really needs to receive this?
  
• Is this medium the most appropriate for these people?
  
• Do people know when it’s appropriate to use “group” e-mail or voicemail?
  
• And always ask, “Why?”

Surf some of our other resources to boost your info-overload management quotient

Speedier reading

Brain Food Cafeteria

Inspired-Leadership Resource Portal

Organizational Communication Resource Portal