Did you know that you are exposed to more information in one issue of the Wall Street Journal than the average person living in the 1700s was exposed to in his/her entire lifetime?

To be effective in the information age, you need ways to tune out the noise. Here are five quick tips to filter and focus.

1. The amount you send is equal to the amount you receive. Make an effort to keep communications short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary back and forth whenever possible.
2. Be selective about what you read. Look at all of the books, magazines, online articles and newsletters that have stacked up. Reality check – you will never have enough time to read them all. Accept it. Select only the most important material and give yourself permission to let go of the rest.
3. Keep current information. A lot of the information we receive can quickly become obsolete. Create a disciplined system for deleting data once it expires. For example: create an e-mail rule to delete a newsletter or news messages after one month. You are actually more likely to read it if you know it will be deleted soon.
4. Turn off notifications. If your computer pings or your phone beeps every time you receive an e-mail, IM or Tweet, you are allowing your information to control your day. Check these messages on your own time.
5. Reverse psychology. Tell yourself that you must spend a MINIMUM of 15 minutes on your e-mail when you check it. If you HAVE to spend 15 minutes working on email this will discourage aimless checking every few minutes. You will be forced to wait until more than one message builds up, ultimately making you more effective and productive.

Now here’s the bit about what I do. I can show you ways to add an hour of productive time to your day. Who couldn’t use that? Hiring a coach may seem intimidating or expensive but it’s not. If you would like to have a greater sense of control over your data and your time, contact me. I’d love to hear from you.
 
Erin Hoffman is the president of Optimum Productivity. She helps busy professionals and businesses save hours of wasted time each week by showing them how to use their email and to do list effectively. Her company, Optimum Productivity, offers company training packages, speaking and individual coaching locally to San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara Counties and via the web all over the world. For more information contact Erin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (805) 602-2096.