Information Overload

I have been very stressed out these past couple of weeks with all the things that must be done. This isn’t the first time I’ve discussed this here, and it certainly won’t be the last. I’ve been busy both at home and work, I have family coming this weekend, am preparing for vacation soon, and trying to manage a few different projects that require more than just a date and time in my Malden. This is also the time when I need to do more yoga, but as luck would have it, I don’t have time for any. In addition to everything I need to get done, there is still more—there are those things that other people put on my plate. And while I could say no, they aren’t things I can easily say no to because they are things that need to get done and things I need to be involved in because they affect me.

But aside from all of the day-to-day nitty-gritty gotta-get-this-done things, I’ve also been feeling overwhelmed with all the technology lately. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology and I love all the things it can do for us. But sometimes, it’s just too much. With all the technology in the world, comes information streaming at us from every angle. And many times, it’s not good news—the bad economy, robberies, unemployment, terrorism, etc. I am very lucky that I haven’t been personally affected by any of these things. Still, it stresses me out to hear about them and to think about what could happen. I often have to tune out a lot of what I hear because otherwise, I just might get bogged down in all the bad “stuff.”

One way for me to de-stress and to focus on happy things is to write, specifically here on my blog. I average about two posts a week. I would love to write more, but unfortunately this is about all my schedule allows for. I don’t like to fall below that two-posts-per-week though, both for the fun of writing and for keeping my blog fresh and up-to-date. Sometimes, however, I feel like I’m writing gibberish just to write and post something. And sometimes I rush through posts so that I can get them done. I don’t feel that anyone will complain if I don’t regularly update my blog, but for myself, I like to get those posts out. A lot of times I end up pressuring myself to “just get it done.” And I hate feeling that way when it comes to blogging. I enjoy it immensely, and I don’t want to stop. I guess I just need to stop feeling guilty if I don’t fulfill my self-imposed quota. Life will go on if I get to a new post today or tomorrow or a week from now.

Of course, there are all the blogs that I read too. I love reading other people’s blogs and learning about their life experiences and possibly even adapting their tips and tricks to my own life. Lately, though, I’m just overwhelmed with all the blog posts and websites I feel compelled to check every day—email, Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader (which leads to other websites). I get very excited when I see new posts from my favorite bloggers/websites or when someone has tweeted to me, or when someone comments on my Facebook status. But it’s a lot to keep up with. Sometimes, when I open Google Reader, I hope that there aren’t any new posts, simply because there are already tons in my starred folder that I have yet to get to. Usually, I read through these posts on my lunch break—after I’ve checked in with my Twitter friends. I email anything I want to comment on (I’ve tried to comment from my iPod Touch but this only results in lost comments and a lot of frustration). But then it takes a day or two from there to comment and by then, people have moved on to the new post and my comment is moot. Or (and this is more likely the case), by the time I go back to the post, I can’t remember what the hell I wanted to say in the first place. Ah well.

And this overload is only from the Philofaxy-related blogs I follow. There are still hundreds more in my reader that I haven’t looked at in months—entertainment news, book and author updates, organizing tips and solutions, information on being Zen. Sometimes, I just feel like I’m drowning in a sea of information. And this doesn’t even address that fact that I work with information. It’s my job. I am an Information Specialist—in basic terms, a librarian—but still, that’s what we do these days. We’re no longer bun-wearing, cardigan-wearing, sensible-shoed, horn rimmed glasses on a chain, shushing people librarians. We help people find information from reliable sources, we help people better understand information sources. I work with computers all day long; I have to know new technology so that I can answer questions about it; I teach new technology to people; I find information from all kinds of sources, whether it be online or in books; I put information into pamphlets, fliers, posters, and our newsletter; I advertise new information, products and services; I catalog new books, which (if you haven’t been to a library in years) is all done on computers—the card catalog of old no longer exists (in most places). When I come home at night, the last thing I want to do is turn on the computer. Yet, sometimes I do, and that’s when I get sucked in, my time being used up before I even know it’s gone.

So what am I saying here? Nothing, really. I’m just babbling for the most part. I don’t intend to stop blogging. I won’t stop reading others’ blogs. I won’t close down any of my social media accounts. I’m definitely not quitting my job. I just need to unplug once in a while, if only for a day during the weekend. One of my favorite movies is Grown Ups—it’s definitely not the best movie made, but it’s funny and the moral is that sometimes you just need to unplug from this too-fast-paced world and get back to basics; get back to throwing stones in the lake; using paper cups and string in order to communicate; to sit, relax, and just be without all of that extra noise and devices vying for our attention.

I am very much looking forward to my vacation, where I will unplug for an entire week. (There is wi-fi available, so let’s see how I do). In the meantime, I’m still here, even if I’m a bit late to the party.