Information Overload: Solutions for Different Personality Types

The Internet is clearly a hugely powerful tool for gathering and disseminating information, but sometimes browsing the web can feel like drinking from a fire hose. Too much information can be overwhelming and slow action as much as too little, but exactly how you react to the flood varies according to personality type, says blogger Jill Chiver in a recent post on Copyblogger. Knowing your own attitude towards the abundance of info online can help you better manage the flow.

Chiver breaks all of us down into two broad types: data gatherers and data assessors. Which are you? "Data gatherers have an insatiable desire for new information and a seemingly unlimited capacity to take more on board," while "data assessors only collect information that can be used in some way." The problem for the former is disorganization and delayed action, while the latter often feels overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of information. Chiver offers two tips for each type. For data gatherers:

• Know when to take action. Seeking out that latest article can be just one more form of procrastination that keeps you from accomplishing your real goal. Every now and then, stop and assess the information you already have. Do you have enough to move forward right now? If you do, go for it. If you don't, only research the areas that you don't have enough data for yet.
• Sort your current information. You have huge piles of data, bookmarks for informative pages online, and lots of reference books -- but you can't find anything. Take the time to organize your data based on the actual goal you have in mind. Start from the beginning and find the information that helps you accomplish your first task, and keep a file for it. Then move on to the next step, and the next. That way you can actually use your information, instead of just collecting it.

• Know when to stop. If you're getting soaked by the torrent of information online, it's time to get out and dry off. If you're already feeling overwhelmed, take a break and assess what you already know. When you discover specific missing pieces of information you know you need, you can hop back into the water knowing just which drops you need to accomplish your goals.
• When to continue. Data assessors often feel overwhelmed by all the information out there, so it's tempting to say "Stop! Too much!" Sometimes, though, you really don't have enough -- you just don't want to face the gushing river again. Be honest with yourself about whether you've really mastered a topic. If you need to know more, hold your breath and dive in again.

• How to Survive Information Overload
• The Backlash Against Multitasking
• How to Break Your 'Info Porn' Habit