| Hundreds of thousands of new books, analyst reports, | | | | Why is this useful? Because by stating those clear |
| scientific papers published every year. Millions of | | | | goals you are building you own lens through which to |
| websites at our googletips. The flow of data, | | | | filter information, and focus on the information you |
| information and knowledge is growing exponentially, | | | | really care about. You set up your own agenda, and |
| stretching the capacity of our brains. Let me offer 7 | | | | not be at the mercy of someone else's brain. You |
| Strategies that can help manage this flow of | | | | don't need to know, you really don't need to know |
| information better. | | | | (unless you work in Entertainment Weekly), what is |
| Copyright (c) 2007 SharpBrains | | | | going on with celebrity XYZ this week. |
| Hundreds of thousands of new books, analyst reports, | | | | 5. Review those goals at the end of the week/ month/ |
| scientific papers published every year. Millions of | | | | quarter. Did you achieve them? What could you have |
| websites at our googletips. The flow of data, | | | | done differently?. The goal here is to ensure a learning |
| information and knowledge is growing exponentially, | | | | loop. You can "evolve your brain" in your lifetime by |
| stretching the capacity of our not-so-evolved brains. | | | | making sure you learn a bit every day, every week, |
| We can complain all day that we cannot process ALL | | | | and accumulate knowledge and abilities over time. |
| this flow. Now, let me ask, should we even try? | | | | 6. Stress and anxiety are enemies of good information |
| Probably not. Why engage in a losing proposition. | | | | processing. They can narrow your focus of attention |
| Instead, let me offer a few strategies that can help | | | | too much and make you miss the big picture. Why is |
| manage this flow of information better. From "process" | | | | this so? Well, imagine you are a gazelle about to be |
| to "manage". | | | | attacked by a tiger. You only care about running as |
| 1. Prioritize: strategic consulting firms such as McKinsey | | | | fast as possible to escape. It is not the time for |
| and BCG train their staff in the so-called 80/20 rule: | | | | complex thinking, for learning new skills. In fact, most of |
| 80% of effects are caused by the top 20% of | | | | the blood flow that usually goes to the brain gets |
| causes. In a company, 80% sales may come from | | | | diverted and gets sent to your main body muscles, to |
| 20% of the accounts. Implication: focus on that top | | | | run faster. The same happens with humans, when we |
| 20%; don't spend too much time on the 80% that only | | | | see a real or imaginary "tigers": one can not think |
| account for 20%. | | | | clearly. |
| 2. Leverage a scientific mindset. Scientists shift through | | | | 7. Another enemy: excessive TV watching. Watching |
| tons of data in efficient, goal-oriented ways. How do | | | | TV five hours a day has an effect on your brain: it |
| they do it? By first stating a hypothesis and then | | | | trains one's brain to become a visual, usually |
| looking for data. For example, an untrained person | | | | unreflective, passive recipient of information. You may |
| could spend weeks "boiling the ocean", trying to read | | | | have heard the expression "Cells that fire together |
| as much as possible, in a very fragmentary way, | | | | wire together". Our minds and brains contain billions of |
| about how physical exercise affects our brain. A good | | | | neurons and connections. Any thing we do in life is |
| scientist would determine clear objectives for data | | | | going to activate a specific networks of neurons. |
| gathering, such as "doing exercise like XYZ can help | | | | Visualize a million neurons firing at the same time when |
| generate neurons even in adults" and "exercise XYZ | | | | you watch a TV program. Now, the more TV you |
| produces a larger effect than exercise ABC", and then | | | | watch, the more those neurons will fire together, and |
| test those sentences with real-world or lab data, | | | | therefore the more they will wire together (meaning |
| allowing for a faster learning curve. | | | | that the connections between them become, |
| 3. Link the new information to previous one. One | | | | physically, stronger), which then creates automatic-like |
| cannot process, or remember, millions of fragmented, | | | | reactions. A person who watches TV for too many |
| random facts. Preparing concept maps, either in paper | | | | hours is training his or her brain to become more |
| or using software tools, is a great method to build | | | | passive. Exactly the opposite of what one needs to |
| expert knowledge and pattern-recognition over time, | | | | apply the other tips described here. |
| the opposite of being lost in a sea of random tidbits. | | | | I hope this is helpful and equips you well for the |
| 4. Define clear objectives for this week. Maybe 3-5. | | | | challenge. |
| Please write them in a notebook, and check often. | | | | |