Help, I’m drowning in information and responsibilities and I can’t get out!
I don’t know about anyone else, but I have a very big problem. Whenever I need an answer to a question or to learn about something that peaks my interest, I head right to my computer. That, in and of itself is not the problem. The problem begins when the answers to my queries start rolling in.
So many results with so many explanations. It almost always happens that while reading a search result and finding the answers to my original question, they put in a link to redirect me to more information on the subject. So of course, I click on that link, which then gives me another link for a related topic and so on and so forth. I end up spending hours on the computer and neglect other important things I need to do. It goes on and on. And me, being the inquisitive and curious type of person that I am, (Maybe I border on being just plain Nosey). It becomes a vicious and never-ending cycle that I just can’t seem to break free of. Help!!!
I guess you can call this problem “Information Overload”, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
What is information overload? According to Wikipedia Information overload (also known as infobesity or infoxication) refers to the difficulty a person can have understanding an issue and making decisions that can be caused by the presence of too much information.
Information overload occurs when the amount of input to a system exceeds its processing capacity. Decision makers have fairly limited cognitive processing capacity. Consequently, when information overload occurs, it is likely that a reduction in decision quality will occur.
Now, the question that probably should be asked, “Is the problem really just too much information,
or is it the fact that I am trying to do too many things at one time and getting old (about to turn 60). Now I know that’s not 
really old according to today’s standards, but ……boy do I feel old and really tired.
On the one hand I have my full-time job as real estate broker managing a company for someone else; I am an aspiring writer in the middle of my first novel while taking several writing classes to improve my skills; and a full time assistant to my husband/business partner, with his business. In addition, I’m also a mother (my sons are grown and living across the country) who worries about and misses her children all the time and also am taking care of an elderly parent who lives with me full time and is beginning to forget things and has quite a lot of medical problems.
In addition to all of my daily responsibilities, I am always looking for creative ways to supplement our income for when we retire (Like that’s ever going to happen.)
Whether I am actually suffering from information overload, old age confusion, extreme nosines, or what, I’m not sure, but I wish there were more of me. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to have a few copies (clones) of yourself to handle all the different aspects of our lives? Kind of like the movie “Multiplicity” with Michael Keaton.
Just think, each morning when you begin your day, you separate yourself into the different “you” responsibilities. One who cleans, one who works outside the home, one who is the caretaker, one who is the cook and one who could be the researcher, etc.. At the end of the day, we all get back together to once again become the one and only “me”. How much simpler life would be then. No stress, no headaches, no worries. Or would it!?
It’s just another thought that comes out of this information overloaded and muffled head that I call,