Information Overload Day

People are overwhelmed by information overload on an almost daily basis. There’s information coming at us from all sides, 24 hours a day, every single day of the week. Scientists and historians estimate that the average modern person has to mentally process thousands more pieces of information than people did in the past.

We have to deal with gigabytes of information every single day, so it’s no wonder that the average person is suffering from just a little bit of information overload. Fortunately, more and more people are realizing that they’re suffering from too much information.

More people are recognizing this fact thanks to a holiday observed on October 20th called Information Overload Day.

The History of Information Overload Day

This holiday was created in 2009 by Jonathan Spira. He did this after his research firm, Basex, cited that information overload was the problem of the year. To raise awareness about the issue, he then proceeded to make August 12th Information Overload Awareness Day.

Its first observance featured 350 workers from over 30 countries participating in an online event. The following year, the holiday was changed from August 12th to October 20th. It has been observed on that day ever since.

Some Facts About Information Overload

Information overload is a serious problem, and that’s why we thought it needed just a little bit more attention than just a few paragraphs. That’s why we’ve decided to list some additional facts on this subject below. Let’s take a look at them.

  • Over 34% of people feel that information overload leaves them unable to relax and stressed out.
  • Approximately 65% of adults say that having to keep track of a lot of information is a major problem in their lives.
  • Approximately a third of adults feel that information overload is harming their health.
  • Approximately 62% of managers from the U.S., UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore feel that their professional and social relationships are suffering due to information overload.
  • Information overload occurs because people are working harder and longer and not having enough time to process information, and there is an excess of information to process.
  • Information overload is also due to the expectations that people have about the information they receive.

Observing Information Overload Day

On this day, everyone is encouraged to disconnect from everything, at least for a little while. This means avoiding both print and electronic media, the Internet, and other sources of information.

Just give the brain a little bit of time where it doesn’t have to juggle a ton of information. Once everyone has given their brains a break, they can then learn more about information overload and what they can do daily to reduce their stress levels.

When is it?
This year (2024)
October 20 Sunday
Next year (2025)
October 20 Monday
Last year (2023)
October 20 Friday
Topic
Health & Body, Relationships & Family