Information Overload
I’ve had the fortunate opportunity of having an hour-long commute to and from work this Summer. Alright, so it doesn’t sound so stellar at first, but these are two solid hours I have every (work)day that I can devote toward something. Six weeks into my internship, with this free time I’ve had, I’ve read The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris, Rework by the 37signals guys, Purple Cow by Seth Godin, and am currently half-way through 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale (no, I don’t have back pains — however this is an amazing book on posture which was recommended to me by my brother).
Over the last few years I have been overloading my brain with information to an extreme which, eventually, just stopped being constructive. I’ve endlessly been reading blogs, articles, and books during my spare time without ever giving myself time to think.
Tim Ferris opens a chapter in the middle of his book with a quote by Albert Einstein. It resonated so strongly with me that it was motivation enough to change my ways:
“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”
-Albert Einstein
After this realization, I’ve started carrying a simple notebook and several nice pens with me. On the train rides back home, I put on some music and brainstorm about anything and everything, usually trending about my current venture or other start-up ideas.
I’ve written about 30 full pages thus far, and I’ve come up with an impressive amount of ideas and insights. I’ve also noticed a significant boost in my creativity and brainstorming abilities, which also encourages me to continue this as a daily exercise to keep my creative self in tip top shape.
750words by developer Buster Benson is an awesome project, and is similar to what I’ve been doing. The goal is to write 750 words every morning as a method to clear out your head:
I’ve used the exercise as a great way to think out loud without having to worry about half-formed ideas, random tangents, private stuff, and all the other things in our heads that we often filter out before ever voicing them or writing about them. It’s a daily brain dump. Over time, I’ve found that it’s also very helpful as a tool to get thoughts going that have become stuck, or to help get to the bottom of a rotten mood.
I used 750words for about two weeks straight during Spring break after hearing about it on Lifehacker, but it became increasingly difficult to budget the time on a regular basis once school started back up. I think it’s a great tool for someone who has a lot going on in their everyday life — fortunately for me, I haven’t really reached that threshold of tipping on the brink of insanity yet.
I hope this post has given some insight on why I’ve started decreasing the seemingly unlimited load of information that I’ve been consuming, and how I’ve been increasing my mental ouput. I also hope this motivates you to put some time away, at least several times a week, to just think and write.
