Understanding information overload requires recognizing its core purpose: to influence ourselves and others. Central to this is the concept that influence is a key component of happiness. This drive for influence underpins technology too. Take Edison’s light bulb; its aim wasn’t just to light up a room, but to change human behavior by extending productive hours into the night.

The volume of information is irrelevant. Feeling overwhelmed by information isn’t about its abundance, but rather our approach to attracting, managing, and utilizing it to influence others. Whether we have access to vast amounts of data or a limited amount, it’s the way we engage with this information that dictates our sense of overload.

Consider profiling and categorization attempts, like Amazon’s recommendation algorithm. It can seem one-dimensional, often missing the nuances of our interests. For instance, my purchase history of business books and kitchen utensils leads to a...

Cleaning out an inbox every now and then can be considered a bad practice for several reasons:

It can be time-consuming: Setting aside a specific time to clean out your inbox can take a lot of time and effort, especially if you have many messages to go through. This can be especially challenging if you’re trying to balance multiple tasks and responsibilities.

It can lead to missed opportunities: If you’re only cleaning out your inbox infrequently, it’s possible that you’ll miss important messages or opportunities. For example, if you’re only checking your inbox once a week, you may miss a deadline for a job application or a sale that ends in a day.

It can lead to unnecessary stress: If your inbox is constantly overflowing with messages, it can be stressful and overwhelming. Waiting until you have time to clean it out can make the problem even worse, leading to additional stress and anxiety.

Instead, it is better to have a system in place that allows you...