Top Tips: How to consume content without losing your mind

Top tips is a weekly column where we highlight what’s trending in the tech world and share ways to stay ahead. This week, we’re exploring ways to consume information mindfully and avoid overstimulation.

Today's internet user consumes content all the time.

They listen to podcasts when they commute, watch YouTube when they do household chores, and listen to music when they work. The amount of content they consume is enormous, and the amount of content available is endless. Internet users worldwide spend two hours and 21 minutes a day on social media as of February 2025.

Have you ever felt this way? You've had a normal week at work and at home, but you feel exhausted and overwhelmed. You can't put your finger on the reason.

It's probably because you've been overstimulated by consuming too much content. If so, there's a way out.

Here are some tips to help you consume content mindfully so that you don't live under a rock but can stay sane enough to live life without feeling overwhelmed.

1. Switch to long-form content 

You don't have to consume the same information in pieces from four different sources. Switch to getting your news from one news app or newsletter rather than doomscrolling through TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram for your daily dose of what's going on around the world.

In his opinion piece for The New York Times, "There's a Good Reason You Can't Concentrate," Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University and author of Deep Work, discusses how digital technology is affecting people's ability to focus and think deeply. He warns that attention spans are shrinking, citing research by Gloria Mark, Ph.D., which shows the average time a person can focus has dropped from two and a half minutes in 2004 to 75 seconds in 2012 and just 47 seconds in the past six years. This raises concerns about the link between excessive social media use and attention-related problems, such as impulsivity and poorer academic performance.

An easy win? Replace short-form content with newsletters and long-form articles so you don't atrophy your ability to focus.

2. Switch off your notifications

In the United Kingdom, 50% of consumers have turned off all notifications for one or more apps, and 32% of consumers did so to reduce the time they spend using technology.

Never try to consume information 24/7. This is one of the biggest triggers for feeling mental overload. A seven-month observational study found that frequent, fragmented device use, characterized by repeated short online sessions and “micro-checks,” distinguished individuals experiencing high levels of information overload.

Instead of consuming content on the go, set aside a specific time of day to scroll. Don't let notifications interrupt you all the time. This creates the illusion that you need to be alert at all times, leading to exhaustion even if you haven't done much all day.

3. Follow the single-screen rule

Using more than one screen at a time can overwhelm you. It's too much visual and auditory input for you to handle. 

You've probably looked at your phone while watching TV or watched a movie on a tablet or phone while working. This might feel enjoyable in the moment, but it drains your mental battery quickly.

4. Reduce auditory overload

Even while doing mundane tasks at home or at the office, think twice before listening to music or podcasts. It does entertain you in the moment, but over time, it can do more harm than good. 

Duke University reports that eliminating sound and the persistent "fight or flight" response helps the body relax. Overstimulation is especially likely when your brain gets no rest from information overload, like engaging your brain every minute with songs and podcasts.

Being bored is normal and necessary for processing your thoughts. A study of 283 employees found that people who get bored easily tend to be more creative, partly because they can step back mentally from their immediate experiences.

Get bored often. When you spend more time in silence, your brain has time to self-reflect.

5. Reduce sensory and information overload

It's not just information overload that overstimulates you; sensory overload can, too.

When it comes to your devices, turn off sounds and pop-up banners. Mute chats and channels that don't require your immediate attention. Set aside time during the day or week to check them.

You can also turn off read receipts so you don't feel pressured to rush to reply to someone. Remember, notifications should serve you, not the other way around.

A final word

You may have been consuming content nonstop without knowing the repercussions. It's the reason you feel tired and drained all the time, even if you have a desk job. Overstimulation exhausts your brain.

Luckily, this is something you have a lot of control over. You can tackle it by consuming more long-form content, switching off notifications, using only one screen at a time, spending more time in silence, and customizing your devices to be less mentally stimulating.