Information overload contributes to burnouts, 抑郁症, and decreased productivity and creativity among employees. 因此，对于公司来说，尽可能地防止和减少信息过载是很重要的. However, that's easier said than done. The tips in this article will help you tackle the problem.
Information: Useful, but prevent information overload
多亏了信息, 我们可以快速而广泛地沟通——因此，我们知道公司内部和我们周围的世界正在发生什么. 如果我们接收到太多的信息，有价值和无关紧要之间的界限就会消失. It then becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with and filter information. This can lead to information overload.
什么是信息超载?
我们可以将信息过载定义为:人们接触到的信息量超过了他们处理这些信息的心理能力. This is a common problem, but what are the causes?
信息过载的原因
The main cause of information overload is obvious. Nowadays, enormous amounts of information are thrown at us. 网站, 新闻媒体, 内部网, 电子邮件, 消息, 视频, social media posts: we are almost constantly bombarded with them. 随着人工智能的快速发展，我们正在获得更多的信息，我们可以更快地找到.
除了 to the immense amount of information, 许多(但不是全部)心理学家和哲学家指出，缺乏无聊感是信息过载的原因之一. 无聊是, 据他们说, very functional: it is actually good to let everything sink in for a while.
精神和身体症状
Information overload can lead to serious mental symptoms. 在短期内, 它会引起一种不愉快的感觉, 有上瘾的效果, 并导致饱和:员工觉得他们不再受信息的影响. 长期信息过载会增加过度紧张、倦怠和抑郁的风险. 它还经常引起身体症状，如疲劳、失眠、头痛和肌肉紧张.
The risks of information overload for companies
因此，信息过载对员工的工作效率和幸福感是一种威胁. 被与工作无关的信息分散注意力的人不能把时间花在有用的活动上. Especially the countless notifications are a problem. 在被打断后，回到实际工作中需要花费大量的时间和精力. 除了, 不间断或无通知的时间段对于正确执行具有挑战性的任务是必要的.
信息超载和创造力下降之间也有联系. One possible explanation is that if your mind is overwhelmed with information, there is not enough room in your head for new insights. 此外, 信息过载的员工通常会感到动力下降.
Tips for preventing information overload
以下建议将帮助你的公司防止——或至少减少——员工之间的信息过载.
1 .让问题变得可以讨论
在许多公司，人们普遍认为彼此分享的信息越多越好. 然而，如果员工受到信息过载的困扰，这可能会产生相反的效果. 这就是为什么解决信息压力问题和提高员工意识是很重要的. 鼓励员工表达他们对信息压力的担忧，并认真对待他们的担忧和建议.
2 .提供教育和培训
许多员工意识到信息压力，但没有将其与工作联系起来. Therefore, provide education and training on the topic of information stress. 在训练, you can encourage employees to communicate precisely, 清晰而相关, but also to point out the impact of information stress factors such as "reply all". You can also update employees on information management: how can they process, 组织, and prioritise information as efficiently and effectively as possible? Think of using filters and labels to control incoming communication streams.
#3 Create protocols, policies, and (team) agreements
Protocols, policies, and (team) agreements can help minimise information overload. 例如:
- An agreement not to communicate after 6 p.m. 除非绝对必要.
- Policies to reduce the number of meetings and keep them as short as possible.
- Protocols that determine which information should be shared, when, and in what way.
#4 Prioritize tasks, projects, and communication
It's important to establish clear priorities. 通过对任务、项目和沟通进行优先排序，创建一个经过深思熟虑的信息层次结构. 这样，员工就可以专注于真正重要的事情，避免处理不相关的信息.
#5 Implement the right (digital) tools
The right (digital) tools help employees manage and 组织 information better. Collaboration and project management tools, 例如, can help employees manage their tasks, 最后期限, and communication more effectively. When information is centralised through these types of tools, employees no longer have to navigate multiple sources of information.
#6 Teach employees the best practices of productivity management
员工可以通过生产力管理的最佳实践来减少他们的精神负担. 例如:
- 充分休息:每工作两到三个小时至少休息15分钟.
- 优先处理任务:员工应该确定并完成最重要的任务，然后再去做不太重要的任务.
- 制定日程:每天, 每周, and monthly schedules help employees and teams better manage their time.
- 设定目标:可衡量的, 可实现的, 相关的目标是关注什么是重要的和衡量进展的基础.
- 减少干扰:找出员工最常见的干扰，并采取措施减少它们. Encourage employees to turn off smartphone and email notifications, 例如.
- 其他建议还包括鼓励员工把两分钟内完成的任务都保存起来，然后依次完成, to handle similar tasks immediately one after the other, and to stop multitasking immediately.
专注于注意力管理
Attention management is a type of time management, but it focuses on attention. 如果员工能够更好地管理自己的注意力，他们就可以选择何时何地集中注意力.
Tips in this area overlap significantly with those in productivity management. Key ideas in attention management include dividing tasks into smaller parts, blocking off time for focused work, 专注于正念, 保证充足的睡眠.
#8 Promote a healthy work-life balance
人们越来越意识到健康的工作与生活平衡的好处——不仅仅是对员工而言, 对雇主来说也是如此. 良好的平衡可以通过提高心智能力来减少信息过载的风险. 作为一个组织, 你可以鼓励员工在非工作时间完全脱离工作，并确保加班仅限于必要的情况.
The digital workplace as a tool for reducing information overload
A digital workplace is an important tool in the fight against information overload. 数字化工作场所允许员工使用所有的应用程序，从而避免了不必要的精神压力, 文档, and information they need for their work in one place. 在同样的环境下, they manage important tasks and notifications, and everything is easily found using the global search function.
使用Workspace 365, 例如, 员工可以访问微应用程序来完成数字工作场所的特定任务，以及一个活动Feed，将来自不同应用程序的信息汇集在一个环境中.
适应性和个性化
A true modern digital workplace is adaptive. 这意味着工作场所会自动适应用户的需求和偏好，并始终显示最相关的信息. 例如, displaying the most frequently used applications and information, 个性化搜索结果, 或者总是提示用户在正确的时间登记工作时间等功能. Conditional Access is also important, where the workspace is tailored based on someone's role, 位置, 设备, 和浏览器.
Win-win for employees and employers
结果是, 适应性数字化工作场所确保员工能够快速、无压力地找到应用程序, 文档, and information - which is less mentally taxing. 通过向员工展示更少不相关的信息，不需要经常在其他环境中四处张望, they also have to process less information and are not as easily distracted.
这不仅转化为更健康、更愉快的员工来上班, but also into more productivity and less absenteeism. A win-win for both employees and employers.
