Internet resources on information overload and productivity

Here’s a list of useful websites/ resources I came across that deal with information overload or closely related subjects. Some of the articles/ studies are not the newest ones, but I preferred quality over publishing dates.

Blogs/ Websites with focus on information overload

• ManagingIO.com ;-)
• A Feed is Born - RSS as the redeemer of humanity from IO? Blog about RSS, webfeeds and information overload
• Communication Overload - Another blog devoted to IO  

 Articles worth reading 

• NY times article pointing to the $650 billion cost estimate of information overload published by a US research firm. The estimate might be still too low though.
• Information onslaught - IO is even bad for your health. 
• Plus, it makes you stupid: Emails ‘pose threat to IQ’ and Why texting harms your IQ
• Sometimes it also turns nasty: Being Held Hostage by Information Overload
• But not enough with that, it might even kill you: Information Overload Is Killing You and Your Productivity
• If we didn’t do it before: Informing ourselves to death - Well-written article on the subject by Neil Postman
• Information overload - Nice article on IO by William Van Winkle
• Data smog: newest culprit in brain drain - Psychologists also say IO is bad. Now if that’s no proof ;-)
• Combating Information Overload - Includes a history section on IO. How it all started…
• The Tyranny of Email - Correct, it’s a pain. Or is it? Tyranny revisted
• Too much information? - Yes, indeed. Looks at it from a marketing perspective.
• Internet suffering from information overload - So not only the users but the internet itself. Includes some good comments on how information will be structured in the future (directories vs. tagging)

 Studies and papers on IO 

• How much information? - Study that attempts to estimate how much new information is created each year
• IO’s impact - Report on the effects of information overload in the UK and worldwide  
• Desperately seeking: Helping hands and human touch - Looking at potential solutions to IO with a focus on agent-like applications, improvements in the information chain and information brokering
• The role of contextual clues in the creation of information overload (pdf) - Study focuses on IO due to email
• Information Overload, Retrieval Strategies and Internet User Empowerment (pdf) - Paper on information overload and search engines
• A Framework for Information Overload Research in Organizations (pdf) - How to analyze IO in organisations. Rather theoretical…

 Practical tips on how to deal with IO 

• Lifehack.org - Popular blog with tips on how to increase productivity (e.g. check out “Dealing with information overload”)
• Putthingsoff - Blog on productivity with a cute cat
• Managing Information - A practical guide on how to focus on the information that is really required
• Information Overload: The Blogger’s Worst Enemy and 8 Ways to Avoid It - Tips for Bloggers on how to deal with IO
• How to reduce information overload - Useful tips
• Eight steps to thriving on information overload - As the title says…
• Tips for Mastering E-mail Overload - Also have a look at Tips for Overcoming Email Overload
• Handling Information Overload for Lawyers - They are different, that’s why they need special care ;-)
• 21 Tips to deal with information overload - Useful tips!
• Other blogs on productivity: Productivity501 and Simple Productivity Blog

 Other resources

• Information Overload Newsletter - Newsletter with articles on information overload, however many articles on other subjects too
• Change and Information Overload - Article on the negative effects of information overload (published on Feb. 19^th 1999, but still true…)
• Article on Softpanorama.org - Including some interesting statistics on the subject (although a little outdated)
• Fighting information overload - Article on knowledge management software (a little outdated too, 2001…)

Something missing on this list? Share it by commenting to this post!