Like many people, I’ve been caught up in the data analytics craze that has swept our society. It’s hard to deny the effect of the massive tidal wave of data that sweeps over us every single day. The issue I have is not with the data itself, per se, nor is it the technology we use to access it. My problem is much more basic than that. I don’t like that all the data that comes my way has somehow found a way to announce itself with the same level of authority as every other piece of data. I don’t like that a text from my wife (which I highly value) has the same level of announcement authority as an e-mail that announces a 20% off sale (Which I’m not interested in).

1) Too much data doesn’t help – There is a show that I used to watch called The West Wing. The show had more great one-liners than I could include in this blog post, but one that seems relevant to this post is a line from Bruno Gianelli, where he discusses his mental load. The line that he says is “I have, for example, chosen not to care if Perdue has a fencing team.” Because I’ve used the quote I googled, and yes, they do have a club which competes in tournaments. The point here is that while that information is out there, I didn’t NEED to know that. The internet allowed me to find the information quickly, but I very likely won’t use it in my day-to-day life. Yes, the information is out there and readily available, but if it’s unnecessary, then it’s not required in your life. Then, do you really need it? If you have too much data, which is a straightforward task to accomplish nowadays, then it does not actually add to your overall life.

2) Data overlap – I used to have a couple of different devices that counted my steps. In reality, one device was designed for counting steps, and the other had that feature as an add-on. Over the past six months or so, I’ve actually gotten rid of both devices. Partially because (going back to point one) having data that didn’t help enhance my life doesn’t help, but also because the two different devices were giving conflicting information. I didn’t like not knowing which device was correct. Indeed, in the case of step counting, when you reach the thousands of steps per day, there is no way to track that as a mere mortal, so reliance on technology to get it right is paramount.

3) Data Anxiety is real – Here’s the problem. You have your step counter and your workout tracker and your sleep tracker and your weight tracker and your food tracker and your various apps demanding attention through notifications and the three hundred text messages from that group chat that you are barely a part of anymore. Your e-mail and the different recommendations for shopping online, as well as checking your dating app for potential dates, can cause some anxiety. I have gone through the various stages of ramping up, how much information I was getting, and the more information I had, the more I would face some Analysis Paralysis, or even worse, a total inability to make decisions because I was too busy trying to catch up on all the information coming my way.

I appreciate that I sound like a grouchy older man in this post (I am, but that’s besides the point), but the problem is that because we have only so much time in the day, we need to be able to focus on the things that really matter. Focusing on what matters can be very tricky when every bit and byte of data has the same level of authority to get your attention. HERE’S MY BIG PLAN. I’m taking a data diet. I’ve actually been working on this for a few months now, but I’m scaling back the amount of information and data that I intake every single day. To be absolutely clear, I am not scaling back on my use of technology, nor am I advocating that. I am not cutting back on my “Screen time,” nor am I advocating that. All I am going to do is pick and choose the times when I allow the information superhighway to run me over. It’s all about taking the information in in smaller bits. Schedule time for doom scrolling, plan for when you want to read up on the latest gossip about whatever. Take. Your. Time. At the end of the day, the time is yours to do with as you will, so if you let the data overwhelm you, you’ll just run out.

How do you moderate the data flow in your life?

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