Information Overload
In the world we live in, we are constantly being bombarded with information.
There’s information coming into our system from all angles. It comes from the media we consume- whether that is from TV, streaming services, social media, news services, YouTube- you name it! The media is continually throwing bits of information at us. Advertisements, content from other people (even our friends), and content from businesses. Oh, the businesses!!
And then there’s the information we receive from the world around us- billboards (more ads!), advertisements on the trucks we drive by on the highway, and even information on car license plates and bumper stickers. It’s endless. ENDLESS!
And what about kids?!?
Kids who are growing up these days are ALSO bombarded continually with information. Often from the same sources- media, video games, the world around us, as well as school! And, school- as many teachers will concur- is not the same as it used to be. At least not here in the United States.
On that topic, let’s talk about school in relation to information for a minute. It used to be (you know- 50ish years ago when I was a young child) that children entered school at the age of 5, some earlier if they attended a preschool. That first year of school in Kindergarten was often a half day and was an opportunity to be EXPOSED to the information to come. It was EXPOSURE to other kids and a time to play with others and work on social skills. It was EXPOSURE to letters and numbers, reading, writing, and math. Kids went home at lunch time and had the rest of the afternoon to play. There was very little screen time (if any), and kids played outside- A LOT. The information presented was developmentally appropriate and wasn’t overloading the system (at least for the typical child).
Nowadays? Most children spend a whole day in their Kindergarten classroom. They are expected to learn skills that used to be introduced much later in their school journey. Play time? Minimum. Play kitchens and block areas? Non-existent in many classrooms (or are used sparingly). It’s a whole new world for these kiddos, and their systems are OVERLOADED and OVERWHELMED with information. And that’s just in Kindergarten. It just snowballs from there!
Our nervous systems are not designed to handle this amount of information. KIDS’ nervous systems are affected even more. It’s no wonder we have so many mental health issues in this country. Our systems aren’t meant to handle such overloads of information, and they can just “frizzle out”.
So…what can we do to combat this information overload?
Here are a few suggestions, and these apply to children AND adults.
Take a break from screens. Not an hour, or two hours, but like a WHOLE DAY now and again. I can assure you that you (or your child’s) world won’t fall apart if you do. And, if something important happens in the world (or your personal world) that you need to know about, you’ll hear about it somehow.
Spend time outside in nature. Yes, even when it’s cold- just wear layers! Nature helps to reset the nervous system. Our bodies ARE designed to receive the information that comes in through nature. The sights, sounds, and smells help to ground us and get us “back to the present”.
Move your body. Take a walk (in nature if you can!). Take an exercise class or just dance around your house with your kids! Our bodies like to move, and it helps move stuck energy from all that information we consume on a daily basis.
Spend time just “being” instead of “doing”. Sit and read a book (which activates your brain and imagination). Sit in a comfy chair outside and watch the birds. Or, play with your pet or kids and just enjoy the time with them- and have FUN!
Information overload is a real thing in this world we are a part of, but you can make a conscious choice to combat some of that. YOU have the opportunity to make different choices and not let the incoming information overload your system. It’s not easy (for me either!) but it IS possible.
Try one or more of my suggestions and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear about your experience!
