Overloaded with ideas and information

[rkthunga]

I wanted to know if some of you are experiencing the same problem I have.

I am, like many of you I am sure, barraged with a lot of stuff coming at me, and more especially, ideas generated within me. So far, I have been unable to fully process these effectively within my life, while still leading a reasonably balanced life--I am pretty much continuously in review mode, and currently don't find much time to live life. I guess the solution means dropping some commitments, but I've kinda dropped as much as I really can afford to.

I guess the simplest answer is continued practice and refinement of my life system, and be cautious of taking up new commitments. And I'm confident that I'll eventually balance out because I am working out years and years of imbalance. However, I am also wondering what techniques some of you use to deliberately push back on information and prevent ideas from being generated.

Thanks.

Ranjeeth Kumar Thunga

[pstmstr]

I don't push back on new ideas, I try to get them into my system. Someday/maybe or a "mind dump" list that can be referred to when I'm at the right time and place to do so.

For me, I keep a memo open in my pocket pc, called mind dump. I write all kinds of crazy ideas in there with the understanding they may never go anywhere. Then, when I'm sitting around with nothing much going on, I'll read back thru them and decide if I'm going to act on any of them in terms of starting a project or next action. Keeps all that stuff out of my head but not lost forever.

[neilhedley]

Mike - I like that idea, and might try it myself.
Do you clear the "mind dump" file out after you review it, or does it become a living, breathing document, almost like a personal journal devoted exlusively to "crazy ideas"?
Seems like stuff you write in there today might not mean anything to you when you review it tonight, but three weeks from now, "bing!"

Thanks for the tip - that's a great one!

Regards,
Neil

[pstmstr]

I only clear those ideas that I start a project or next action on. Some I might delete just because instead of someday/maybe they are dumb/never :). The rest I just leave alone for further review from time to time.

[rkthunga]

Thanks all.

The lesson I gain from your responses is that everything in my inbox does NOT need to be incorporated into my system. Some of them may be already deemed reference, some of it may be "dumb/never".

Based on your feedback, I am creating a subjournal in Journal Pro for my PocketPC called **"dump"** ("dumb/never" sounds a bit negative to me, although I mean the same thing). This is where I can dump the "over-the-top" stuff that I realistically can't find time or energy to incorporate into my system, but ensures that I keep the juices flowing and the mind clear.

I've thus noticed this strange phenomena since implementing GTD, which runs counter to all my previous common sense:

**The more ideas we offload, the MORE (not fewer) ideas we have to deal with, and the MORE (not fewer) ideas come up in our mind**

Since I've been dumping ideas faster and faster, I've been getting ideas faster and faster. Keeping the mind like water becomes more difficult at higher intensities for sure. Thus, another lesson is to **not be greedy** with ideas--we gotta pick and choose those that are of greatest benefit to our lifestyle and life at THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT, and process/organize/review/act on only those.

Ranjeeth Kumar Thunga