Information Overload in the Digital Age
"I can't deal with anything more right now. I'm done."
I have lost count of the number of times I've heard this during my career whether it be as a business owner of large scale change programs, as a change management executive advising clients on large scale transformation, or managing teams navigating the personal impacts of change in their lives. The expression of frustration didn't just come from middle managers and junior employees either. Senior executives, who carry the responsibility to ensure their organizations can cope effectively with change, are worried too. Their personal success often rests on their competency to ensure employees can adapt to change.
Overwhelmed
But employees aren't just struggling to adapt to changes at work. If you've perused social media lately, you might have noticed that people are feeling the pressure of change outside of work too. Investor and Author, Ray Dalio said, "We are now in a period that is very similar to the 1930s. The world is rapidly changing, and as always, some people will benefit, while others will suffer. Understanding this is essential to surviving and thriving through the times that lie ahead.”
Sobering stuff. It's no wonder that according to Frontiers in Psychology, between 2019 and 2021, there was a 61% increase in mental health discussions on social media platforms around stress, anxiety and uncertainty. And in 2020 after the COVID outbreak, content with these themes spiked 500%. Stressed out employees are joining the online ranks too. According to a study by LinkedIn and Mind Share Partners, 80% of workers have used social media to discuss job-related stress and anxiety.
Information Overload
If it feels like you're experiencing "too much" you'd be right. How many books can you read in a day? In 2009, the New York Times reported that the average American at the time, was consuming 34 GB of data and information each day, a 350% increase over nearly three decades and roughly the equivalent of two books a day. Think that's bad? Since that report was issued fifteen years ago, scientists estimate we now consume an average of 74GB a day, the equivalent of 16 movies, or around 1,480 books. Wow! No wonder we're feeling overwhelmed!
Processing 5 times more information per day compared to a few decades ago, strains both memory and focus. The exponential growth in data and information means we’re encountering, absorbing, and often managing far more data points daily than was even imaginable in the 1950s. The massive increase in information has led to what some psychologists call “information overload” or “cognitive overload.” Research suggests that constantly processing information at this volume strains cognitive resources.
Potential Impact of Cognitive Overload
You may be thinking that a few hours scrolling cat videos and sarcastic memes is far less mentally taxing than reading War and Peace, you'd be wrong--well, sort of. While most people are absorbing digital content such as Tik Tok videos, IG Reels and YouTube videos, it's still information your brain has to process. It's also time stolen from activities which help you process and absorb information. And are you really just taking in funny dance videos and pictures of people hugging lions? There's far more upsetting content out there and it's hard to avoid.
Studies indicate that negative news is more frequently consumed and shared. Research shows that around 60-70% of news headlines contain negative terms. This trend also applies to sensationalist and fear-based content designed to attract more clicks. A substantial portion of online content is geared toward negativity, argument, and dark topics. This is because engagement-driven algorithms are programmed around the psychology of attention. Taking in "too much" doesn't just apply to quantity. The emotional quality of content is often too much as well. Cognitive overload can lead to:
Decision Paralysis: volume of options or details makes it harder to choose effectively, resulting in a reduction in the quality of decisions.
Reduced Attention Span and Concentration: constant exposure to information (especially digital), can fragment attention, concentration and according to the U.S. Surgeon General, reduce productivity up to 40%.
Impaired Memory: high cognitive load can reduce the ability to retain and recall information when needed.
Creativity and Problem-Solving: unstructured time to process and synthesize information is critical for open-ended thinking.
Living in Extraordinary Times
Klaus Schwab, Founder, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum said “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is fundamentally changing the way we live, work, and relate to each other. It is reshaping government, education, healthcare, and commerce—almost every aspect of life. This revolution will be more comprehensive and all-encompassing than anything we have ever seen.”
The rate, scale, and impact of digital change is incredible but our ancestors lived in extraordinary times and the events of their day were unprecedented too.
We’re not helpless, or hopeless
I recently came across the fascinating video on "The Impossible Cleanup That Followed the End of WW2." I thought the end of the war resulted in a collective sigh of relief and return to normal after years' of barbarism and unimaginable cruelty. This was not the case. Atrocities and starvation continued. Torture and discrimination continued. Three hundred thousand orphans roamed city streets starving. Allies became enemies. Those who survived recovered by focusing on rebuilding and caring for those who needed support. Individual citizens contributed in many ways including rationing food to feed the hungry, collecting spare materials for recycling and learning new skills. Women took jobs that would have been culturally inconceivable before. These stories made me reflect on resiliency and how it relates to these current times. Perhaps some clues are to be found which might be useful in helping people adapt to change and uncertainty today.
The power of contribution is often overlooked when we discuss change and coping. When we participate in activities for others', we receive the gift of proving our agency to ourselves. Thinking, and acting for something outside of us, provides reprieve from our worried, self-absorbed minds. It bestows on us the emotional benefits which come from being needed. In times of war, such as in WW2, nationalism and contribution to our country and allied nations served this purpose. How do we find this in times of peace? What if you don’t feel a sense of belonging to anything to contribute to? Sadly, this has become the norm for many today. The Harvard Kennedy School's Saguaro Seminar notes that civic membership (e.g., Rotary Clubs, PTAs), declined nearly 50% since the 1970s and Gallup reports the same decline in church membership between 1999 and 2020. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association cites a 7% decline in team sports between 2008 and 2018. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there's been a 21% decline in adult recreational sports between 2015 and 2020. Contributing to a group where we feel valued and belonging is foundational to the human experience. Without it, we are less prepared to navigate the stress of change.
We have the capacity to persevere
We are all stronger than we imagine ourselves to be in our darkest hours. But we are also more fragile, than we feel when we are at our best. Start by setting a strong foundation for resiliency. Practical wellness strategies to avoid feeling overwhelmed:
Reduce the quantity of digital information absorbed each day by putting time limits on apps or deleting them from your phone
Increase the quality of information you expose yourself; avoid sources which rely on embellishment, negatively and divisiveness
Make space for physical activity, artistic endeavors, and interacting with nature
Find healthy a balance between time spent alone and in person, with others
Contribute in some way to the betterment of someone who needs it
Final Thoughts
We are on the cusp of a new chapter. One which will have profound impacts to everything we know. By shifting your perspectives and habits, we have an opportunity to experience this as a gift rather than a punishment.
