20% Of Americans Suffer From 'Information Overload'

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
For the most part, people in this country like having instant access to information all the time but, according to a new study, some people suffer from information overload and find it burdensome to keep track of information required to carry out certain tasks.

When institutions expect people to bring a lot of information with them to carry out tasks, some Americans find it can be burdensome to keep track of the volume of information needed. Nearly half (46%) of Americans say this statement describes them “very well” or “somewhat well”: “A lot of institutions I deal with – schools, banks or government agencies – expect me to do too much information gathering in order to deal with them.” Those who feel this way are more likely than others also to say that keeping track of information is stressful for them (56% vs. 30%).
 
I'm sure its well written and very true. Still I just couldn't bring myself to read this one.
 
My boss complains about this any time I try to present useful information to him, be it sharing my calendar, or sending too many emails in a given time frame, or having too many jobs waiting on his approval. Bullshit excuse, own up to the fact that you have taken on more than you can handle and delegate or abandon some of the things you are focusing on. Keep up or get the hell out of my way.
 
Depends on what the information is on. My problem is I feel like I'm addicted to information. If I don't have some bit of information pop up on my screen, I'll go nuts. The first few days of camping trips or cruises are the toughest.
 
I find it interesting that 81% feel, "it is easy for them to determine what information is trustworthy. " I'd be interested in seeing a study comparing a person's ability to determine trustworthiness vs their self-perceived ability to do so. I'd guess people are as accurate with that as they are when asked if they are a " good driver. "
 
arnemetis said:
My boss complains about this any time I try to present useful information to him, be it sharing my calendar, or sending too many emails in a given time frame, or having too many jobs waiting on his approval. Bullshit excuse, own up to the fact that you have taken on more than you can handle and delegate or abandon some of the things you are focusing on. Keep up or get the hell out of my way.
Click to expand...


From my Army days I learned a talent for handling stress and a plate that is always too full.

You can only do what you can do, so set your priorities, get the job done, and the rest it seems didn't really need to be done after all.

Besides, if you do somehow manage to "get it all done", they'll just give you more to do.

Never perform a miracle. They'll just add it to the SOP (y)
 
Not me, I gave up and have started to stop fretting over those things that other folks are saying about me. (Of course, [H] has something to do with that.)
 
dethklokworkorange said:
I find it interesting that 81% feel, "it is easy for them to determine what information is trustworthy. " I'd be interested in seeing a study comparing a person's ability to determine trustworthiness vs their self-perceived ability to do so. I'd guess people are as accurate with that as they are when asked if they are a " good driver. "
Click to expand...

Hey, most of the time, I am a good driver. Sometimes though, especially if I am overtired, I suck and have the potential to make bad decisions. Probably information overload or something. ;)
 
Sadly, being in management isn't only about information, it's about politics, which is likely why your boss is so stressed out. That ain't fun either. The excess information is likely a ancillary problem. Writing an e-mail that can have the court of public opinion try/judge/convict you based on grammar is ridiculous, and if you work for a big corporation, you better bet they have their grading system on.
 
The issue is more the sheer number of time sinks modern governance and employment put on you.

I NEED to spend the whole workday, except for a few days a month when it is really slow putting all my information gathering effort and reading into getting work done that pays the bills and keeps me and the family fed.

Problem is, outside of gigantic corporations there are 100 other things that need/should/want to be sorted every day that aren't directly related to getting work done except for someone or some other entity insisting that they have to be.

This ranges from having to pay two dozen different bills for home and work every month, to quarterly tax withholding and auto registrations. If you add up all the time you could spend actually keeping up with all the crap the world tells you do, you'd never actually work.

So, we call it information overload. You just say screw everything else except for things that will land you big fines or jail time and keep going.

It makes for a life where you are never caught up, even for a brief moment no matter how fast your internet connection is.

There's something inherently wrong with this. It's not that I have a idealistic view of life... I know that 150 years ago in a more agrarian world you'd still go to sleep at night with a list for tomorrow but it was still different than today where you just go to sleep every night wondering what you either forgot or don't know is going to be requested tomorrow. Every day. Not just occasionally, but constantly. More than we can track.
 
"tl;dr" is the mantra for stupidly ignorant people anymore.
 
Advil said:
The issue is more the sheer number of time sinks modern governance and employment put on you.

I NEED to spend the whole workday, except for a few days a month when it is really slow putting all my information gathering effort and reading into getting work done that pays the bills and keeps me and the family fed.

Problem is, outside of gigantic corporations there are 100 other things that need/should/want to be sorted every day that aren't directly related to getting work done except for someone or some other entity insisting that they have to be.

This ranges from having to pay two dozen different bills for home and work every month, to quarterly tax withholding and auto registrations. If you add up all the time you could spend actually keeping up with all the crap the world tells you do, you'd never actually work.

So, we call it information overload. You just say screw everything else except for things that will land you big fines or jail time and keep going.

It makes for a life where you are never caught up, even for a brief moment no matter how fast your internet connection is.

There's something inherently wrong with this. It's not that I have a idealistic view of life... I know that 150 years ago in a more agrarian world you'd still go to sleep at night with a list for tomorrow but it was still different than today where you just go to sleep every night wondering what you either forgot or don't know is going to be requested tomorrow. Every day. Not just occasionally, but constantly. More than we can track.
Click to expand...


Well, maybe there is a little delta between how you manage your tasks and how I do it.

First, I have this really crazy invention, they call them wives. They were genetically engineered to worry over everything. Now some are broken and either do nothing at all or even work against you, but you can get an RMA in that case.

So, a good wife will be able to help greatly.

Second, bill pay brother.

I use a credit card for almost everything, 1.5% cash back is good enough for me. I pay off the entire balance each month and it costs me nothing in interest or fees. I run so much of my costs through that card that at the end of the year it covers a monthly bill, that's crazy right, one 12th of a year's expenses clear in savings. I like it.

It's work related shit that get's to me, but hey, I'm 57 this March, the long run is almost over and then I just have to figure out what I am going to do with myself that won't eat up all my money.
 
dethklokworkorange said:
I find it interesting that 81% feel, "it is easy for them to determine what information is trustworthy. " I'd be interested in seeing a study comparing a person's ability to determine trustworthiness vs their self-perceived ability to do so. I'd guess people are as accurate with that as they are when asked if they are a " good driver. "
Click to expand...

This is called the Dunning-Kruger effect: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.64.2655&rep=rep1&type=pdf
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top