How To Overcome Information Overload

It's been happening for months.

The deluge.

The onslaught.

The downpour.  

The information never stops, and we've been drinking from a fire hose.  

Does anyone else have information overload? If you're like me, it started with keeping track of hour by hour updates on the virus. Then it was shelter-in-place orders, reopening restrictions, new shelter-in-place orders, fewer but more specific restrictions, and on and on and on. 

We're church leaders. We have people to care for. Everything we do is anchored by a weekly, in-person gathering. We don't have the luxury of turning a blind eye. The hose keeps pumping, and we keep drinking.  

Many of us sprung into action with new initiatives and creative solutions. Unfortunately, we didn't have the skill or experience to execute them without...you guessed it - more information. 

Articles. Books. Phone Calls. Research. Does this camera work with that streaming service? Is this sound system big enough for that outdoor space? What do virtual small-groups look like? What are other churches doing for their kids? How is your staff staying connected? In an effort to pivot quickly, we willingly submitted to the information downpour.  

A New Day

But now we're at a turning point. We're entering a new season of this bizarre saga. It's time to move beyond crisis mode and begin making decisions for our future. Does that mean it's time to collect more information? NO! 

It's time to stop. To be still. To quiet our heart and reflect on where we've come and where you're going. How is God moving? What is the Spirit saying? 

Information + Information = Overload

Information + Application = Transformation 

You've learned enough. Now's the time to sift through and choose what to keep and what to leave behind.  

A Challenge

Choose one day in the next week to unplug. Don't listen to a podcast, read an article, or text a friend. Give yourself the space you need to quiet your mind and start with three simple questions. 

1) What did I stop doing that I need to start back up?  

2) What did I start doing that I need to shut down?

3) What does this new reality make possible?  

A day alone with your thoughts might sound scary, but what's the worst that can happen? There's always more information to collect tomorrow.