6 Tips for Alleviating Phone Information Overload
Our Addiction to Mass Information
Written by Irina Gallagher
The biggest instigators of mass information overload these days are smartphones. I thought I would share a few tips that I use to minimize my unintentional phone usage – the kind you get sucked into when you check one of your notifications and end up in the web of somehow looking at a stranger’s Facebook profile for no reason.
1. Turn your text and email notifications to silent. For the last few weeks, unless I’m expecting a particular text or email, I try to remember to keep everything except for my call volume on silent. My most contacted people know that if they need me to answer immediately they can call me and if it’s not an emergency, I’m pretty good at viewing my messages regularly at my down times throughout the day – I still do this too frequently, so I will be utilizing the remainder of these tips more in the future.
News flash. There is a shortage of eggs. You should be eating more eggs. You’re eating too much meat. Don’t switch to soy though, or you will die. The drought situation in California is worsening. No climate change deal has been signed. Your deodorant is killing you. Oh, you use the natural kind? That’s nice, but it will kill you anyway – probably immediately. Another black person was unjustifiably killed by a cop. You shouldn’t use fluoride. Make sure you use fluoride or your teeth will decay. Your tooth decay will shorten your life, so use fluoride or you will die. But if you use fluoride, you will also die. A four-year-old Florida boy is having a forced circumcision. You’re teaching your child to read too soon. Haven’t you taught your child to read yet? S/he child will be behind forever and will not be able to properly perform on all the tests that are required in school. You’re either consuming too little or too much turmeric. There are a bunch of malnourished Shih Tzus in New York. The Middle East is still in perpetual turmoil. Ukraine is still a war zone. A boat of migrants has capsized in the Mediterranean. 450 troops are being sent back to Iraq. And at the end of this list, also add every tidbit of information that you have acquired on social media in the last day.