Like never before, where we're constantly bombarded with notifications, messages, and information, a new term has emerged to describe this information overload: "infobesity." Much like obesity in the world of nutrition, infobesity refers to an excess of information that can overwhelm our minds and hinder our productivity.
In this article, we'll explore the concept of infobesity and provide you with practical strategies to manage your screen time, minimize distractions, and supercharge your productivity.
Understanding Infobesity
In the realm of nutrition, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as the accumulation of an abnormal amount of fat due to ingesting more calories than the body needs. In the digital world, infobesity is a similar phenomenon where we consume more information than our brains can effectively process. This overload can have adverse effects on our mental well-being and overall productivity.
One of the primary culprits behind infobesity is the excessive use of notifications. Originally designed to inform and update users about important events, notifications have been hijacked for a different purpose – to grab your attention and keep you engaged. Social media platforms, in particular, have become masters at using notifications to draw you in.
Consider this: if you haven't used Instagram for a while, you might receive a notification saying, "They haven't heard from you?" or "Don't miss...". These seemingly innocuous messages are designed to create a sense of urgency, encouraging you to spend more time on the platform.
The Impact of Infobesity on Productivity
Infobesity, fueled by the constant stream of notifications, can severely impact your productivity. Each time you're interrupted by a notification, whether it's a "like" on your photo or a trending news alert, your brain must shift its focus. Research shows that it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully refocus after such interruptions.
In a world where time is of the essence, these interruptions can significantly hinder your ability to complete tasks efficiently. If you're struggling to maintain productivity in the face of infobesity, here are some practical strategies to help you regain control over your screen time and stay on track.
Strategies to Manage Infobesity and Boost Productivity
👋 Sort the Essential from the Non-Essential
The first step in battling infobesity is to distinguish between essential and non-essential information. Not every notification deserves your immediate attention. Do you really need to know who has liked your latest social media post, stay updated on every trending topic, or be alerted about an imminent livestream? Probably not.
Prioritize your notifications by their relevance to your goals and tasks. You can do this by going into your notification settings and selectively disabling notifications for less important apps or events. This will help you cut down on distractions and ensure that you're only alerted about genuinely significant updates.
🛑 Systematically Refuse, Then Authorize When Necessary
While it's tempting to enable notifications for all your apps, it's often counterproductive. Instead, adopt the practice of selectively refusing notifications and only authorizing them when they serve a critical purpose in your daily operations.
For instance, you might need notifications for work-related emails or messages from family members, but you can probably turn off notifications for mobile games or social media likes. By adopting this approach, you'll reduce the constant barrage of distractions and create a more focused digital environment.
🚦Customize Notification Displays
Don't let notifications dictate how they reach you. Customize your notification settings according to your preferences. Most apps offer a range of notification options, allowing you to fine-tune how they appear. You can choose to disable banners, sounds, or alerts for specific apps and events.
Take control of your notifications by going to Settings > Notifications. By doing this, you'll receive information on your terms, minimizing interruptions and improving your overall concentration.
Go further with Focus Filters & App Blocking
Sometimes simply disable notifications isn’t enough and we need an extra help to be more focused.
🌙 Focus Filters: Use Do Not Disturb Mode or Work Mode
Focus Filters, available since iOS 16 on iPhone, allow you to automatically turn off notifications from your apps. You can program them to start at specific times or launch them manually. As well as blocking notifications, you can change your phone's wallpaper, hide certain apps and more. Focus Filters are incredibly valuable tools to help you regain control over your notifications and enhance your productivity.
🔒 App blocker and Screen Time Management Tool
Sometimes, simply turning off notifications isn't sufficient, and we may require a little help. For this, you can download an app blocker that will allow you to block the apps of your choice for as long as you need. The most complete tool for iPhone is Jomo, available for free on the App Store.
With Jomo, you can block apps for specific time slots or set time limits on your most distracting apps. Additionally, you can link a blocking session to a concentration mode, and we'll provide more details about this in the following article.
Dealing with infobesity is a real challenge that affects our productivity and overall well-being. Notifications, originally intended to inform and update us, have been repurposed to steal our time and attention. The constant barrage of notifications can be overwhelming, making it crucial to take control of your screen time.
🔗 Wired ; The Atlantic
✋ Illustrations by Jomo ; Photography Unsplash
Made with love in Brittany