More Information, Less Comprehension: North Carolina Workers' Compensation and “Info Overload”
If you or a loved one just got on North Carolina workers’ compensation due to a workplace-acquired illness or degenerative disease (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome) or accident (e.g. slip and fall at an industrial plant), you are almost certainly spending a good deal of time researching treatment options and exploring mechanisms to get you and your family get back on track.
In theory, this should be easy. The web offers unparalleled access to information about workers’ comp. On this North Carolina workers’ compensation blog alone, we have covered a fantastic diversity of issues, including ideas about how to recover faster from injuries, how to prevent accidents at work, and a smorgasbord of political issues. And this blog is but just a tiny slice. You could spend your entire life reading about workers’ comp on the web and not run out enough information…
Unfortunately, this “super buffet” of ideas can actually lead to more confusion than it resolves. And that additional “info overload” related frustration can compound an already difficult situation.
First of all, let’s acknowledge the reality: Info overload is a real phenomenon; if you are suffering from it, don’t beat yourself up. You haven’t done something “wrong.”
Second of all, you can deploy tools and techniques to siphon and filter the information you find on the Internet and elsewhere to make your life easier and better. Here are some potentially very useful tools:
1. The “getting things done” system (GTD)
Productivity genius David Allen developed a relatively complicated but ultimately profoundly interesting system for managing information workflow. His books on “info overload” related topics include Getting Things Done, Making it All Work, and Ready for Anything.
2. Parkinson’s law
This idea, loosely translated as “a task will take up as much time that is allotted for it” can be fantastically helpful when you are trying to research an idea – especially on the web. Here is the way it works. Give yourself a time limit to make a decision. Don’t make this time limit too narrow, but don’t make it too long, either. For instance, if you’re searching for a place to eat dinner in Raleigh, give yourself 10 minutes to scan restaurant reviews, read Trip Advisor posts, and what not. At the end of 10 minutes, force yourself to make a decision.
You might be surprised to learn that the decisions made in this kind of rapid time control are often as good as — or better than! — decisions that you will make after “researching exhaustibly.”
3. Beware the “Paradox of Choice”
Social scientist Barry Schwartz wrote a remarkable book called the Paradox of Choice, which promotes the idea that “too much” choice can paralyze us and make us less satisfied with any options we choose. Schwartz counsels people to limit their options and instead to seek “satisfaction” instead of “perfection.” This thesis echoes the time-tested aphorism “the perfect is the enemy of the good.” For instance, you don’t need to find the best North Carolina workers’ compensation law firm; you merely need to find one that’s experienced, qualified, and well suited to your needs.
More Web Resources:
Info Overload defined
