Being confined to the home for the better part of two weeks has yielded a few insights related to navigating the constant flow of information we’re being exposed to. In times of uncertainty it’s easy to fall into the trap of needing to constantly be in the know. While I believe it’s important to be aware of current events, I think it’s equally important to do so in an intentional way.
Looking back on the first few days of the social distancing era, I was mindlessly scrolling through information for large chunks of the day. I couldn’t peel away from my Twitter feed and it left me feeling anxious and uncertain. As the week went on, I became more deliberate about how I approached getting my information and it made all the difference. A concentrated information diet is often more effective than mindlessly ingesting every bit you come across. I’m now going large stretches of the day where I’m exposing myself to little external stimuli. The benefits of focusing on my work and batching the news have been significant. Keep in mind there are times when I stray from this discipline, I just do my best not to dwell on it.
In addition to developing strategies for dealing with the flow of information, the past few weeks have also provided a great example of the concept of WYSIATI. I was first introduced to What You See Is All There Is in the book Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. In simple terms this idea states that we are only able make judgements based on what we’re exposed to. If you only watch one news channel, your beliefs are going to heavily reflect their talking points. By only reading one blogger or listening to one podcast, you will likely become a parrot of ideals. That’s just the way our mind works. I find it helpful to vary my sources of information frequently and do my best to draw my own conclusions. Of course there will be some sources that you lean on more than others, just don’t become blind to alternative opinions.
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