Episode 94 - The Overconsumption of Knowledge: When Learning becomes a Liability
In this podcast episode, I look at overconsuming knowledge and its detrimental impact on our lives. Because constantly seeking new information without taking the time to process and apply it can lead to overwhelm and a lack of focus.
In this digital age, we're blessed with an abundance of information at our fingertips. But, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge you're consuming? I've been there, with a book collection growing faster than I could read and a reading list longer than my expected lifespan.
Here's the thing: Overconsumption of knowledge can actually hinder us from taking action and fully experiencing life. It can become a buffer, preventing us from applying what we learn. I've found myself guilty of this, using learning as a way to avoid other tasks or uncomfortable emotions.
So, what's the solution? It's all about balance. Here are some strategies I've found helpful:
Limit the amount of new information you consume.
Cap your learning hours.
Apply the 50/50 rule - spend equal time learning and applying what you learn.
And if you struggle with saying no to new courses or certifications, I've got an "emergency intervention protocol" for you.
In the end, it's about identifying that one thing that would make your life 20% easier and prioritizing it.
Main teachings and takeaways:
- Overconsuming knowledge can hinder us from taking action and making progress in our lives.
- Constantly seeking new information without processing and applying it can lead to overwhelm and a lack of focus.
- Strategies to strike a balance include setting boundaries on information consumption, prioritizing quality over quantity, and allowing time for reflection and implementation.
Full Episode Text
Episode 94 - The Overconsumption of Knowledge: When Learning Becomes a Liability
Hey smart humans,
This is Else Kramer, your host and go-to coach for the fast-brained.
Today, I’m going to dive into a topic that is as seductive as it is dangerous: overconsuming knowledge.
Yes. You heard me right. This is about your ‘bad learning habits’. And this Episode may be the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed.
First, let me take you back to Ancient, pre-Internet times.
Picture me as a very knowledge-hungry 15-year-old, wanting to learn more about this thing called the Fibonacci sequence, which had been mentioned in passing in my math class. The only option available to me at the time was to bike into town (around 16 minutes there and back), visit the local library and look for a book that could tell me more.
Compare that to the current ‘knowledge at your fingertips’ situation where it takes less than a second for a search engine to serve up all you need to know about Fibonacci.
It’s insane.
I mean, I love it. Of course.
It’s a great time to be alive.
But it’s also very easy to consume WAY more knowledge than is good for you and your smart mind.
Now I personally didn’t quite realise how much I was overconsuming knowledge (the 40 open tabs didn’t even register), until I started noticing the crazy rate with which my books were procreating. I prefer physical copies (I’ll go into the reasons why another time), but every time I’ve finished a book, it leaves me with MORE questions and more things to figure out. So for each book that I read, I tend to order three new ones.
My books are having babies. At a crazy rate.
My bookcases are bursting at the seams, and my reading list is now longer than my expected life span (yeah - let that sink in).
My overconsumption of knowledge is really hitting me in the face.
Now aside from shelving issues, you may be thinking ‘Else, how could there be anything wrong with learning? Isn’t it the noblest pursuit?
And of course, there is nothing wrong with learning per se - until it starts eating into your life, relationships, your well-being.
Overconsuming knowledge is like overeating, but for your brain. You’re gorging on information, but are you digesting it? Are you applying it?
Or is all this knowledge create a buffer between you and the outside world?
What is all this learning STOPPING you from doing? What important things are being left undone? What are you avoiding?
Pause for a second and thinka bout that.
Are you voraciously filling your brain with knowledge to avoid doing, or thinking about something else?
Maybe even to avoid feeling some feels?
In my case I know for sure that all that learning is getting in the way of me getting more of my message out on social media.
Now why do we fall into this trap of thinking more = better, supersize me when it comes to learning?
Well first of all, learning IS beautiful. It is delicious and delightful.
It’s constructive and productive.
IT has zero calroies.
No-one gets hurt when we learn new things.
Except…
Maybe…
You?
Your loved ones?
Your business or career?
Yeah. Why not press pause and thinka bout this for a while.
How is your habit of overlearning, of overeating information actually hurting you?
What are all the things you are NOT doing when you’re gorging on knowledge - however cool, fascinating and useful?
If this is a bit of a slap in the face don’t worry - you can totally change this.
But first: why do we overlearn in the first place?
Why are we drawn to courses, books, webinars, certifications like moths to a flame?
It’s usually a couple of things.
There’s FOMO - what is there is something essential here that I can’t miss out on?
And underneath that often there lives one of these:
a deep desire to be safe,
to be enough,
to be worthy,
to be taken seriously.
So to make it easier to stop overconsuming knowledge it can help to ask yourself: how am I already safe? Enough? Worthy? How can I take myself more seriously?
And then deeply see, feel, integrate that.
Then, there is awareness. How much time a week do you spend learning new things? (and yes, that does include watching instagram reels on somewhat work related topics). Be brutally honest.
For me it’s at least 15 hours. Which my brain immediately wants to justify by saying ‘I need to keep abreast of all the developments in my field’ yada yada yada.
Sure, that would be nice. But my ‘field’ is incredibly broad and there is no WAY I can catch up let alone keep up with all the developments.
So get real when you look at the time you spend consuming knowledge.
Is that the best way to spend your time?
What is it costing you? What are you NOT doing in those hours that would make a massive difference to your life, work, relationships?
And then, but only then, can you get to work your knowledge consumption habits.
It’s relatively simple: you can treat overlearning the same way you would treat overeating. You need a learning diet or protocol.
Here are some suggestions to get you restarted, but of course I advise you to adjust these and make them work for you with your unique mind.
- Put yourself on a Learning Diet: Limit yourself to one new book or course a month. No exceptions.
- Limit your Learning: Yes, you heard that right. Allocate specific 'learning hours' in your week. Once they run out, you have to wait until your ‘learning bar’ fills up again. And you get to do other stuff that’s essential for your wellbeing instead, like spending time in nature, creating art, making musing, etc.
- The 50-50 rule: for every hour you spend learning something new, you have to spend an hour applying it.
Emergency Intervention Protocol
If you know you’re going to have a hard time saying no to a shiny new course, Encyclopaedia or unmissable in your field bestseller then set up an Emergency Intervention Protocol ahead of time. Find a fast-brained friend and make a pact with them. Whenever you feel compelled to binge on learning, you call them up instead - and they’ll talk you down from handing over your credit card details and pressing that ‘buy now’ button.
Last but not least, ask yourself this great question:
What is the ONE thing that, if I would start doing it NOW, would make my life and work at least 20% easier?
Answer the question - and go do that thing.
"If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Drop a comment, share it with someone who needs to hear this, and don't forget to subscribe for more episodes that help you manage that brilliant mind of yours."
Else a.k.a. Coach Kramer
Want to fall back in love with your life and work? Then I can help. DM me on LinkedIn, or Instagram to learn how you can work with me, or email me via podcast@elsekramer.com.
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