There’s so much demand for our time and energy online right now.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like there is so much going on right now.
Like I’m being bombarded on every channel. I’m getting tons more emails, and I always have new notifications.
There are group networking calls and new online networking groups, online conferences and regular live shows. And loads of requests to have video calls and catch-ups.
I’m not saying any of this is a bad thing. It’s great to see people finding ways to adapt to keep their business moving.
It just feels like a lot. From every angle. All the time.
So what can you do to feel less overwhelmed and filter out the online noise?
1. Choose ONE thing each week
During the COVID-19 lockdown, so many in-personal events have become virtual events.
There are group networking calls and new online networking communities to join, new Facebook groups and daily live masterclasses. Large conferences becoming virtual conferences, workshops becoming webinars.
It’s a lot.
Don’t get me wrong, these are all great things, but with so much going on, you start to feel pressure to be everywhere – and if not, you get a massive case of FOMO.
If this is you, start by choosing the ONE thing that will make the most significant impact each week.
It could be a group networking call that helps you connect with a potential client.
Or maybe it’s watching a live event to learn more about online sales.
Make sure the ONE thing helps you towards achieving your ultimate goal.
2. Create Structure & Get Organised
At the time of writing this (April 2020), I’m taking part in a month-long marketing conference called Atomicon (hosted by Andrew & Pete).
Each day there are live events to learn from industry experts and a ton of networking opportunities.
Alongside the increase in online noise and activity via social media and email, it started to become a bit much for me.
So to help me feel more organised, I created a database with all the live events in Notion. Now I have a plan for what to watch live and what to catch up with on replay.
3. Unsubscribe from Emails
If you’re getting bombarded with emails, then maybe it’s time for a clear out.
Set aside some time to sort your inbox and unsubscribe from the lists you no longer want or need to be part of.
I used to get hundreds of emails every day, and so much of it was useless to me.
If it’s not relevant to you, hit that unsubscribe.
The list owner will thank you for it. They don’t want you on there if you’re not getting value or never going to buy.
4. Turn off Notifications
Do you find it hard to resist checking your notifications?
I sometimes can’t help it. Every time I see a red dot appear, I feel compelled to click it.
If this is you, turn off notifications so you can’t get distracted.
5. Limit Social Media Usage
Monitor your screen time and usage of apps on your iPhone, or with apps like Manage/ Track Usage on Android.
Set limits to stop you using social media once you’ve hit your daily limit.
Also check out Pause, a free Google Chrome browser extension, that restricts access to distracting sites on desktop.
6. Completely Disconnect
Last week I felt inundated from every angle, by Friday, I was exhausted.
Thankfully I managed to disconnect over the long Easter weekend.
I stopped worrying about showing up and being visible. I stopped checking on social media and replying to messages.
Sometimes, when it gets too much, you need to take a step away. Once you’ve re-energised and reset, you can come back and give it more attention.
Have you been feeling overwhelmed by online noise recently? What could you do to feel more in control? Let me know in the comments.
