Deal with information overload

As the amount of information flowing into the blogosphere grow, there is also a growing need for tools and principles that help bloggers focus their attention on what should be the most relevant information for them. In this post I would like to share my own ways of dealing with information overload as a problogger.

Hack Google

Google

Google is one of the most effective tool to filter information. I use it effectively for my blogging Google requirements. I command my blogging with iGoogle, and create my own blogging archive with Google Notebook. If I need to share some documents with my blogging buddies, I use Google Documents. Both Google and Google Blog Search are quite useful for my blogging.

Clearly Define Your Blog’s Topic

I noticed that when I target a sub-niche area within a large blogging topic, my posts become much more popular. Idea is very simple. There is no point in competing with the high quality and popular bloggers in general topics. Discover the areas top bloggers don’t cover today, and spend your time and energy on those areas.This way I spend less time on broad topics, rather focus on uncovered areas. This is by far one of the best ways to become a better blogger in the long run.

Actually your blog’s topic changes as you and your blog evolves. Let me give you a good example. I quit my job, and become a problogger last summer. Thus I realized that I can become a very good role-model for the bloggers who want to earn their living from blogging, yet can not overcome their fears.

Less RSS is More

RSS

Do you really believe that top bloggers spend as much time as you spend to read so many RSS feeds? Steve Pavlina, who is one of the best personal development blogger, says he does not read any RSS feed. Surprised? Steve get blogging ideas from his own experiences.That is why he is unique and successful.

This is one habit all bloggers shall build up through the time. If you copy what top bloggers are already saying, eventually you will become a reporter, not a blogger. Having said that, I don’t mean to remove all your RSS subscriptions. Just limit it up to 10 leading bloggers in your sub-niche area. Use them for your brain to stimulate new ideas, and find the gaps in the top bloggers posts. At the end of the that you will have much more time to create new and innovative ideas.

Read Faster

Speed Reading

Time is the most precious commodity for bloggers. You need to read faster than before if you want to cope with your competition. Scientists proved that majority of the people can read 500 words per minute. Some clever ones (I guess they are talking about bloggers here!) can read even faster than 500 words.

Imagine reading a 300 pages book in a few hours, or reading this blog post at a glance! How would you feel? Is it too good to be true? Well, it is possible with Rapid Reader software. Bearing in mind the amount of time you will save, it is worth spending your money.

Master 80/20 Rule – Batch Processing

I mentioned 80/20 rule and batch processing in my previous post How I Quit My Job and Become A Problogger

These are my ways to deal with information overload. Tell me how you deal with information overload. Do you have anything to add my list?