Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
This is one of the biggest challenges of our information-rich age. One strategy I use is to prioritize quality over quantity so rather than trying to consume everything, I focus deeply on a few trusted sources or experts. When that’s not possible, I practice selective reading: skimming headlines and summaries first, then deciding if something deserves my full attention. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Francisco,
don't look at the trees, but see the forest.
Develop a holistic, systems thinking perspective. See the landscape, recognize patterns. Saving Changes...
Program Manager| HARPER SRLSanto Domingo / Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic
I have feel this a few times already and it turns things confusing sometimes, so I started trying to apply three practices:
First do some intentional filtering, defining what information is “essential for decisions” vs. “nice to have.”
Also consider the time-boxed consumption; instead of constant checking, I block time for research, updates, or reports.
And finally, make sure I'm taking information from trusted sources, I rely on a few reliable dashboards, metrics, or voices, rather than chasing every channel.
Otherwise, the overload creates noise, anxiety, and loss of focus.
I'd recommend making a list of your priorities -- what are the top 3 topics you want to maintain mastery of, and what are 3 you want to learn more about. This will help you filter the rest out. You can review these biyearly / quarterly / in any cadence you want. Additionally, tools like Forage or UnreadAI can help deliver automated summaries of materials to cut down on the bulk, and use machine learning to delete what's not relevant for you, or you can set up rules. Beyond that, you could also set up a system of "must-read" vs "read later" and set due dates on the things you want to come back to. Hope that is helpful! Saving Changes...
That’s a real challenge today. I try to manage “mind obesity” by setting clear learning goals, limiting sources to a few trusted ones, and practicing digital breaks. Filtering is less about consuming more, and more about choosing with intention.
Great point, Francisco. To avoid “mind obesity,” I rely on curated sources, clear priorities, and time-boxed learning. Filtering information through relevance to goals helps turn knowledge into action instead of overload. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Francisco Matheus Chagas Powerful question, Francisco and more urgent than ever.
The term “mind obesity” evokes something we rarely name but often feel: we’re mentally full, but not necessarily nourished.
And you're absolutely right to ask: with so much information, how do we filter and focus?
Cognitive science reminds us of two hard limits:
- Working memory is finite — we can only hold a small number of concepts at once
- Processing capacity is limited — especially under stress, fatigue, or distraction
In this reality, more information doesn’t always mean more clarity.
It can overwhelm decision-making, erode attention, and exhaust our leadership presence.
That’s why I believe we must move from “information consumption” to “purposeful integration.”
Three guiding filters help me and the teams I work with:
- Strategic Relevance → Does this serve our mission or distract from it?
- Cognitive Sustainability → Are we allowing space to process and reflect, not just absorb?
- Ethical & Regenerative Impact → Does what we consume elevate our capacity to lead well — or drain it?
We don’t need more content.
We need better discernment, digestion, and design.
Thank you for sparking such a vital reflection in this noisy age.
And in your case: how do you curate your own mental diet as a leader?
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