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