Consuming or distilling

As we start a day fresh with optimism of what could be, we also start with fresh capacity to take in information. 

But then it comes, the stream of content, questions, information, presentation, reading, listening. 

So. Much. Information. 

We do expect a lot from this wonderful mind of ours! 

With so much information to take in, as we consume it ... do we also distill it? 

Consuming information is a bottomless pit; there is always more we could attempt to take in. 

So how do we distill? Or do we even? 

To distill is to refine and purify. 

Water. Fuels. Alcohols. Gases. Oils. Essences. Many vital products are achieved via distillation. 

Taking out some bits and keeping them. Discarding or using other bits in other ways. 

What’s our distillery for all of the information? 

How do we refine what we’re hearing, learning, taking in?

We need to get the essence of each meeting, conversation and dump of information. To take control and avoid being swamped or overwhelmed. 

When we distill, it’s easier to share and consume. 

And for others to distill. 

And this is the process. 
Just a sip. 

Look out for your own overload

In a day full of meetings, calls, work and learning ... information overload can really come for us. That overload feeling doesn’t always hit with the same speed or intensity though.

There are different types:

- Lookout for the slow creeper.

The cumulative effect of overload builds up during the day. With no break between meetings, we keep loading up! We’ll be full soon and no more will fit in. It hits at about 4pm!

- Lookout for the fast flier. When a topic, meeting or presentation hits us and we’re done, overloaded. Too many slides, too much too soon, so complicated. Boom! Full.

Both situations need not be a surprise to us. We don’t have to be caught out or shocked that we become overloaded. It happens slowly or rapidly; and we can always be prepared for it.

A powerful way to manage load is to ‘empty the truck’. Rather than trying to carry all the information yourself, externalise it. Get it out of your head and into something else ... onto a page or into a notes file.

Our days of ‘I’m here soaking it all up’ are done. It’s simply not an efficient way for us to work with information. Save the soaking for baths, movies, socializing and relaxing. Aaaah!

Empty the load at the end of the day

The overwhelm of back to back meetings is real. So. Much. Content. Words and questions and people and ideas and still more meetings.

Our cognitive load takes a beating as we shove more information in to our already overloaded brain. It’s hard work.

In between meetings is the ideal time to pause, review, move and have a kind of ‘reset’, ready for the next meeting.

Deliberately.

And then at the end of the day, another pause. Review and clear the slate for the transition to social, family or home activities.

Otherwise it can get messy and the overloaded feeling takes longer to process naturally, automatically, organically. Do it deliberately.

Empty the load - between meetings if you can; and absolutely at the end of the working day. (And the end of the week too!)

Lighten the online meeting load

After so many online meetings Urgh! We’re foggy, brain-fried ... like we’re in a continuous conference.

This is the human experience of cognitive overload. But it’s exacerbated and multiplied by the load that’s coming via one channel - online. Yes, its different to face to face, next to each other, same room or space.

Here are 3 COGNITIVE LOAD COPING habits:

☀️Change state and break.

Take a short break between every meeting. Yes every one. It ‘releases’ the mental load you’ve been carrying. Like emptying a truck’s load. Don’t do back-to-back. Bad. Just 30 seconds, get up, move and BREAK your state.

☀️Stop soaking information and start sensemaking.

In every meeting, WRITE some handwritten notes. Not typed. Hand written. This is ‘externalizing’ information. It actively relieves those fried feels.

☀️Write down more than a meeting’s end points, actions or decisions.

Catch a quotable quote, a smile moment, a PHRASE that sounded good. This helps retain some focus.

And it’s ok... you’re not failing.

We’re all carrying around a huge concrete slab of shock, change, worry and uncertainty. That’s already some heavy stuff.

Break your state

Write it down

Catch a phrase

Overloaded before we start work

Most of us have experienced the feelings of overwhelm and information overload ... just thinking about our 'to do’ list can cue overwhelm.

A group I worked with last week, (boosting cognitive load coping skills + how to deal with information overload) explained how they listen to podcasts, audio books, interviews and radio programs on their daily commutes to work.

There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s entertaining and educational and a great use of time.

What we need to be aware of is how we fill up our sponge or tank with content and information that we absorb, synthesize and digest. Because then we arrive at work and are faced with even more content and information to absorb, synthesize and digest!

Aargh!

No wonder overload comes a’ knocking!

Cognitive overload happens rapidly or g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y. It's possible we could be overloaded before the work day begins, or soon after we get started at work.

Our indicator rises to ‘full’; there's just no capacity to add much more.

An answer? Allow a buffer, like half-time in a sporting event. Allow neutral time where you’re taking in nothing. Nothing. It helps "release the load".