Picture it: Last week I had ONE night in all week. One. And what did I do? I spent 2 hours clearing out my e-mail. Not exactly what I had hoped to do with my night in. The plus of it was that I realised (once again) just how much crap I had subscribed to. The crap fell into 4 categories:
1. E-mails I received weeks and months ago that I’d set aside to read ‘later’. Note to self: If more than a week has passed, delete.
2. E-mails I never read…just deleted. Note to self: unsubscribe
3. E-mails I did read, but that didn’t make me smile or feel good or inspire me. Note to self: Unsubscribe
4. E-mails I want to read, but have no headspace left for because of all the crap in categories 1, 2 and 3.
So after 90 minutes of trying to wade through a tsunami of information, my inner self gently whispered to me “unsubscribe…delete…make space…clear the inbox clutter”. Taking a deep breath, I did just that, and today I’ve changed my settings on Facebook so I don’t get so many notifications cluttering up my inbox. And as I read the subscriptions that survived the cull, my inner voice is still whispering “unsubscribe…delete…make space…clear the inbox clutter”.
A while ago, I organised my inbox so that non-urgent e-mail – subscriptions and notifications from social networks – went into their own folder, keeping my main inbox clear for ‘real’ e-mails. And although that works well, it’s like having a drawer you put clutter in…at some point you have to take everything out of the drawer and throw at least half of it away! It reminded me of the saying “you can’t organise clutter, you just hide it”!
Now, I can already feel the difference – I have some attention to give the things I am still subscribed to AND more importantly, I have attention to give my own wisdom. There is some GREAT information out there – funny, informative, interesting, educational. But there is a point where you have to give your own inner voice space and time to be heard. How can you possibly hear the voice of your heart if you are drowning in information from someone else’s heart? How can you hear your soul whisper if you are unable to process other people’s soul whispers?
After I’d spent 2 hours immersed in everyone else’s stuff last week, I had to meditate for a while just to clear my mind – it was so full with just Too Much Information! The wonderful thing about the online world is that the stream of information will run forever, so if you decide to take your attention away for a little while, when you come back, it will still be there.
So, I have some ‘homework’ for you:
1. set up folders in your e-mail client to sort your e-mails so any subscriptions (including me if you subscribe to this blog!) go straight into one folder.
2. Anything over a week old, delete (even if it’s from me! Don’t worry, I’ll repeat myself, I do that a lot!)
3. Any subscriptions you don’t normally read, or don’t make you smile, or don’t make you feel good, unsubscribe (including me…I’ll be sorry to see you go, but I’d rather you read my mails, and smiled when you did)
Make space in your head for what’s in your heart and soul. Make your inbox a place of love and light and joy and space…and full of only those things that light you up! And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – please leave me a comment below.
Love
Donna.x
Comments
12 responses to “Too Much Information”
Absolutely Gin! What I love about the online world is that you can always find the information if you find you’re missing it (you most likely won’t by the way!). My advice to you is to be brutal and unless it is something you really love, unsubscribe. Give yourself the chance to enjoy the online fabulousness! Good luck! xx
I have too many email accounts and way too much email! I’m inspired by your post, because although I’ve started attacking my problem, I still have work to do.
In the past two or three weeks, in an attempt to deal with my information overwhelm, I’ve reduced my time on facebook, I’ve (once again) changed my facebook notifications to get less of them, and I’ve started unsubbing from lists and blogs and various things I’ve been getting through email.
But as I said… I still have more work to do! I’ve been doing the unsubbing one or two at a time – and it has felt so freeing! – but I know I need to bite the bullet and click the “unsubscribe” button more often, because I’m still getting too many things that simply aren’t adding much except “email clutter”… because even though some of it might be informative or inspiring, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to read everything.
Lol – Samantha that sounds painful!!! It’s so easy to let things get out of hand, though. Although in much the same way as I reach a certain point where I just have to clear up physical mess, I get the same point with e-mails…and it’s in the hundreds! 2000 would drive me wild! x
Oh yes I know this one! A bit back I sorted through over 2,000 emails. I am prone to exaggerate sometimes but that is no lie ….2,000 odd! And i know exactly what you mean ….I almost feel suffocated by the swamp of information coming my way to the extent I ignore it and it piles up. I’m back up to 2/300 now, so you have given me the reminder I need to go manage it before i hit the thousands again!
Thanks Karina! I’m glad it hit the spot for you. xx
Lol – I’m the same! I’ve kept things for over a year that I wanted to read or listen to…and never did! A week’s enough – if you remember it after that, you can always dig it out of the trash! Enjoy your decluttering! x
Priceless advice! I definitely need to remember that throw it out after a week bit. I “star” things I want to read later, but never get to. If I want to read it, why don’t I just read it now? Think I’ll do some email decluttering this weekend.
This is just what I needed! I had such a huge internet stuff overload that lasted for weeks and now I’m so happy to be back but I feel so much better only reading the things I really like. Great post!
Big hugs, Karina
Thanks Sarah! Yes, I always feel an energetic lightening whenever I clear any clutter, be it physical, mental, emotional or virtual! x
Love this post, clearing clutter is always good for the soul even if it’s of the cyber kind. 😉 Brightest blessings.
I love that Arwen “If it brings me joy, keep it” – a perfect criteria! x
Sounds like you did some amazing work. I’ve been on a kick of “if it brings me joy, keep it.” Otherwise I let it go. I tend to fade in and then out again on this sort of thing. I adore your term “soul whisper”. It’s very good.