How Too Much Information (TMI) Is Overloading Our Lives

It’s the start of the week, and I must admit—I haven’t checked the news for a while. Sometimes stepping away from it all is the healthiest choice you can make. The world’s problems are not going to be solved in a day, and constantly absorbing every tragedy or scandal can weigh heavily on your mind.

I remember my grandmother vividly. Every day, she went about her chores, and like clockwork, at 10 a.m., her radio came alive. That old radio was her only window to the world. From natural disasters to political turmoil, from local oddities to international tragedies—she heard it all. Sitting with her as a 15-year-old, I absorbed her endless stream of information. She would wake with a heavy heart recounting disasters in China, conflicts in Sudan, floods in Colombia, and sometimes even the story of a two-headed cow somewhere far away. By the week’s end, she could recall nearly every news snippet with astonishing detail.

Years later, I’ve learned to filter the news I consume. World news matters, but not all stories require your emotional energy. Many outlets focus excessively on drama and negativity, forgetting the subtle yet powerful impact this has on their audience. Days—or even weeks—can pass without reporting anything positive, yet good things are happening all around us every day.

And now, we face a new challenge: TMI—the era of Too Much Information.

Think about your WhatsApp groups. You open your phone to check one message, and suddenly you’re swimming through a flood of videos, memes, news clips, and stories. Some you didn’t even ask for, some you’ve never seen before, and some… well, let’s just say you wouldn’t want your kids or spouse stumbling on them.

I’ve had to clear my phone memory more than once, only to find all sorts of videos and pictures I didn’t download, didn’t watch, and certainly didn’t authorize. God forbid if some scandalous content slips through—when you hand your phone to your kid to play, or your spouse to check something, and chaos could ensue.

Here’s a funny-but-true scenario: last month, my friend left his phone on the table while he went out for lunch. When he returned, he found dozens of hilarious, shocking, and absolutely random forwarded clips from his WhatsApp groups. One video showed a goat riding a motorcycle (don’t ask), another was a “news” clip claiming aliens landed in downtown Chicago. He panicked. Not because of the goats or aliens—but because his niece was about to pick up the phone. The race to stop her, phone in hand, became an Olympic sprint across the living room. Moral: TMI can literally make you run for your life—or at least your sanity.

We are living in an age where the urge to always be updated is so strong that leaving your smartphone at home can trigger a mini panic. We check our phones constantly—before bed, after waking up, during dates, while driving, in the subway. It’s mental clutter, emotional overload, and yes, dangerous at times.

While staying informed about global affairs is a clear advantage, there is a line between informed and overwhelmed. The constant flood of notifications, forwarded videos, breaking news alerts, and group messages can turn anyone into a stressed, anxious, sleep-deprived version of themselves.

So, here’s the takeaway:

• Filter your feeds—only subscribe to what adds real value or joy.

• Schedule “phone-free” windows—during meals, before bed, or while exercising.

• Remember quality over quantity—one thoughtful news article is better than scrolling through a hundred sensational headlines.

• Protect your mental space—your peace of mind is priceless in a world drowning in information.

The lesson from my grandmother is simple: you can be well-informed without letting the world’s sadness, chaos, and TMI weigh you down. Balance is key.

After all, the world doesn’t stop moving if you miss a scandal or a viral video. But your mood, creativity, and outlook on life will thank you for taking a step back.

 

 💡 By the Way....

Most of my recent work now lives at The Skywatcher’s Journal. Come join me there as well. In the meantime, circle back here for updates on this old blog—I’ve come to realize that sometimes, old is gold.

🎥 Oh, and if you enjoy video storytelling, check out my YouTube channel. 

 

 

 

Emergency Preparedness and Response The World Should Think Of .

With the current Covid-19 Pandemic in the World, isn’t it about time the world thought of emergency preparedness and response as a serious concern and started mitigating against the risks early on before disasters happen. Isn't it also time that you as an individual came up with your own plan too?

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Yes, I know not everything has a solution but at least we can reduce the impact of the disasters both natural and man made. For example putting some money aside or better yet investing it in an investment vehicle that can allow you to access the funds readily.  Alternatively aren't their insurance plans that can better help during such pandemics.

Shouldn’t every country put up a permanent emergency preparedness and response team to think through emerging threats. This makes sense since every country has its own risks to deal with. We have Iceland with its volcano. We have lake Nyos in Cameroon that killed 1200 people in 1986 when it spewed out poisonous gas. It’s said to have killed “all” living things around a 15 kilometers radius from the lake. We have areas prone to floods and mudslides! We have the man made risks too like nuclear power plants, and oil rigs! All these need specific emergency preparedness and response preparation that is geared towards tackling common or likely disaster in that area.

Well, of course such emergency preparedness and response committees do exist. But most develop preventative and remedial measures after the event rather than before.

To take this further, and given our interconnection that has been clearly shown by Covid -19,  the governments of the world must try and cultivate this kind of emergency preparedness and response conscience by ensuring that companies adopt this approach too. Most companies put profits first and only engage in damage control when the harm is too big to hide.

To stop this kind of approach, the government of these times ought to reward social responsible companies, or make emergency preparedness and response and social responsibility a major requirement prior to giving licenses. For example, if a new business will spew out waste as part of its operations, what measures will the company put in place to ensure their waste is managed in a manner that doesn’t damage the environment! And what is their emergency preparedness and response for any major and likely negative event that could result from their operations

This is better than waiting for environment degradation to escalate to alarming levels then hurriedly putting up ineffective, costly, climate meetings.

  Get the End time You Want  Through "The End."  And let's begin the good life.

 

 

 💡 By the Way....

Most of my recent work now lives at The Skywatcher’s Journal. Come join me there as well. In the meantime, circle back here for updates on this old blog—I’ve come to realize that sometimes, old is gold.

🎥 Oh, and if you enjoy video storytelling, check out my YouTube channel.