In our hyper-connected world, where information flows ceaselessly from myriad sources, the concept of an "information diet" has gained significant traction. An information diet refers to the conscious and deliberate management of one's information consumption habits. It's about fostering a more intentional and balanced relationship with information. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, the concept of an information diet emerges as a crucial tool for maintaining mental clarity, productivity, and well-being.
The Abundance of Information and Its Consequences
The digital age has brought about an unprecedented abundance of information. A study by the University of California, San Diego, estimated that the average American consumes about 34 gigabytes of information daily, equivalent to about 100,000 words. This constant influx can lead to information fatigue, stress, and even anxiety.
Information Overload: A Modern Problem
Concerns about information abundance have existed for centuries. In 1755, French philosopher Denis Diderot worried about the growing number of books. Today, we face a similar challenge, but on a vastly larger scale. The sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, leading to mental fatigue and decreased productivity.
The Economics of Media and Its Impact
The current media landscape is driven by profit motives, leading to content that prioritizes engagement over accuracy or usefulness. Just as food companies learned that if they want to sell a lot of cheap calories, they should pack them with salt, fat, and sugar - the stuff that people crave - media companies learned that affirmation sells a lot better than information. This can have significant societal and personal consequences.
Reframing the Issue: Consumption Habits
The problem isn't the abundance of information, but our habits of consumption. Just as with food, it's not about the quantity available, but what and how we choose to consume. Instead of blaming technology or information itself, we need to focus on developing better consumption habits.
Read also: Nutritional Eating Tips
Attention as a Valuable Resource
Our attention is a finite and valuable resource that needs to be managed consciously. Just because your boss doesn't see you looking at that Kim Kardashian post on The Huffington Post doesn't mean that it's not without consequence. When you click on it, you're making it so that it's more visible to other people. An information diet is something that's of ethical consequence to you and others.
The Participation Gap and Personal Responsibility
Strengthening democracy requires active citizenship beyond just voting. Personal responsibility in an age of mostly free information is vital to individual and social health. In The Information Diet, open-source-Internet activist Clay Johnson makes the case for more "conscious consumption" of news and information.
Implementing an Effective Information Diet
Adopting an information diet requires conscious effort and strategy. Implementing an effective information diet is not about complete disconnection or ignoring the world around us. Rather, it's about fostering a more intentional and balanced relationship with information.
Practical Skills and Continuous Improvement
Like any diet, an information diet requires ongoing attention and adjustment. Improving attention fitness is a gradual process. Start with small, achievable goals and gradually increase the duration and intensity of focused work periods.
Consume Deliberately
Continuous improvement. Like any diet, an information diet requires ongoing attention and adjustment.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Mindful Consumption: Quality Over Quantity
Prioritize high-quality, reliable sources of information. Seek. Not too much. Mostly facts. Eat low on the sort of 'information food chain,' and stick close to sources. If it's an article about a bill in Congress, or even at a statehouse somewhere, going deep and actually trying to read the bill itself is really, I think, advantageous. And it takes a little bit of time to pick up. Bills … [and] house resolutions are not, the most entertaining things to read for most people. But getting to know what our legislative language is helps us, I think, become better citizens.
Humor as a Cognitive Tool: Balance and Boundaries
Humor can be a valuable tool for navigating the information landscape, helping us to maintain perspective and avoid becoming overwhelmed.
Tools and Strategies for Managing Information Consumption
Ironically, the same technology contributing to information overload can also help manage it.
AI-Powered Information Diet Planners
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can act as a personal information diet planner, helping us filter and prioritize the information we need. AI algorithms can analyze our preferences and deliver content tailored to our interests and needs. Imagine having a personal AI assistant that is your info diet planner who knows your interests, goals, and priorities.
Useful Apps and Platforms
- Pocket: Lets you save articles, videos, and other content to view later.
- Flipboard: Allows you to create personalized magazines by curating content from various sources.
- Inoreader: Another powerful RSS feed reader that offers advanced filtering options.
- Google Alerts: Allows you to receive notifications about specific topics of interest.
- News360: A news aggregator that uses AI to deliver personalized news based on your interests.
- MyFitnessPal: While primarily a fitness app, MyFitnessPal can help you track your information consumption habits.
These tools can help you curate and manage the information you consume, ensuring you stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
The Dark Side of Online Nutrition Information
Consumers are increasingly relying on the Internet and social media for nutrition-related information, which puts them at risk of being misinformed. Numerous systematic reviews have summarised the literature about the quality or accuracy of health information on the Internet and social media, to provide a more comprehensive overview of the information landscape.
Alarming Statistics
Almost half of the studies reported that quality or accuracy was low. Online nutrition-related information is often inaccurate and of low quality. Consumers seeking information online are at risk of being misinformed.
Factors Contributing to Misinformation
Internet and social media users can instantaneously publish information on any topic, regardless of their expertise or qualifications. Consumers typically have low levels of media literacy and critical evaluation skills. The public’s trust in nutrition science and authoritative voices in the field has been eroded. Exposure to nutrition information that lacks context or seems contradictory can lead to confusion and backlash among consumers.
Identifying Reliable Sources
Two studies evaluated information published by nutritionists and dietitians, both stating that information from dietitians was of higher quality and accuracy. Organizations and/or academic institutions received the most favorable quality assessments in four studies and provided the most accurate information in five studies.
The Case of Weight Loss and Supplements
Higher proportions of poor classifications for accuracy were observed for studies evaluating information about weight loss and supplements, although the number of studies that evaluated these topics was small. Weight loss and supplements are large commercial industries. Assessment of financial and conflict of interest disclosures are a prominent component of quality assessment tools, which may explain why these are rated more frequently as poor-quality information about weight loss and supplements.
Embracing a Low-Information Diet for Mental Health
The overload can be a hindrance to those striving to achieve better mental health. The same way you try to eat healthy to improve your physical health, going on an information diet is a way to control what you consume to take care of your mental health.
Tips for Embracing a Low-Information Diet
- Start with a detox: Tim Ferris recommends a five-day “cold turkey” approach to start a low-information diet. For the first five days, try avoiding almost all newspapers, TV, Internet and social media.
- Clean your social media feed: Go through and limit your following only to those people who are posting things that matter to you.
- Set limits on your time online: Break the habit of scouring social media and news feeds anytime there’s a lull in your daily activity.
- Avoid news sources that increase your anxiety: If you’re dealing with mental health issues, your mental health comes first.
- Curate your inbox: Set up filters to manage newsletters.
- Install something like RescueTime: Understand where your time goes each day and to reduce distractions.
- Schedule your content consumption: Block time for reading stuff online.