I learned about Infomagical from Bryan, and decided to try this challenge for myself last week. Since I knew I had a packed week of work ahead of me, it seemed like as good a time as any to tackle a project designed to help manage information overload and improve focus and creativity:
“Infomagical (is) a collective FOMO course correction. (I)t’s not about your gadgets per se, it’s about all the stuff on them, and all the stuff coming out of them. Our plan is to turn all of your information portals into overload-fighting machines.”
Participants were encouraged to choose a goal for the week. Knowing what else I needed to get done–and before taking the quiz–I selected the goal of being “more focused,” but after getting my quiz results I switched to “more creative.” The definition of that goal included improving one’s ability to make connections, which is always something that matters to me.
Here’s a quick look at how the challenges went for me:
Day 1: Magical Day–No multitasking allowed! I did pretty well moving between tasks sequentially and controlling my tendencies to self-interrupt, but I couldn’t stop myself from doing other things–reading or watching TV–while eating.
Day 2: Magical Phone–The assignment to clean up your smartphone Konmari-style was the most concrete task of the week. Here’s what mine looked like when I got done:
(The background photo is from the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle.)
Day 3: Magical Brain–The directive was to avoid a “Must Read” or trending topic for the day. That was my license to avoid news stories about the previous day’s primary elections and get a lot of my month-end work done. Yoda approved.
Day 4: Magical Connection–I didn’t deliberately “spend seven minutes, by phone or in person, discussing something I’d read, heard, or watched with someone,” but I’m pretty sure that Paul and I spent more time than that talking (and ranting) about the GOP debate while we watched it that evening.
Day 5: Magical Life–My “note to self” articulating my “personal rule/algorithm/filter parameters/mantra to live by”:
I want: to keep up when I can, to let go when I can't...and to know which 'when' is which. #infomagical Share on X
“What I want: to keep up when I can, to let it go when I can’t…and to know which ‘when’ is which.”
I think I achieved both of my Infomagical goals, and I think that doing the challenge when I did really helped me get through a busy week when distraction might have been especially tempting. In short, The 3 R’s gives Infomagical a fourth R: a strong Recommendation!
Paul and I are taking a couple of days off this week to go up Santa Barbara to see Loreena McKennitt in concert, but I really don’t have much planned for the rest of this weekend and that’s fine by me.
Speaking of plans, and inspired by the organizational aspects of Infomagical, I bought myself a planner this week. I have shied away from most forms of pen-and-paper note-taking for quite a while, but I know quite a few of you are big planner buffs, and I’d love your thoughts and suggestions for making good use of my new one!
What are your plans for the day and week ahead?
My goal also was to be more creative and at least on the “Magical Phone” part, I think I achieved that. Your mantra is, and I’m not surprised, a great one. It is so hard to keep up and really we don’t have to (well, not always anyway). Loreena McKennitt?!? Whoa. Kim will be so jealous when I tell her. As for plans for the day, reading Sunday Salon posts this morning, then continuing to read Being Mortal later, and watching NASCAR with a neighbor. Later in the week, my usual Friday off before I work on a Saturday. I don’t know what I’ll do that day. Somehow I bet reading will be involved.
Whoa. Kim’s a Loreena McKennit fan?!? Seeing her in concert has been on Paul’s bucket list for years, but apparently she doesn’t do a lot of live shows in the US, so he was all over this when it was announced–we’ve had the tickets since last fall ?.
Thank you so much for spreading the word about Infomagical!
I was also a “be more creative”, and it was a great week. I did it after a completely overwhelming week at work when the weight of information overload was a physical pain. Felt a bit like my brain was on fire. Infomagical really helped me with priorities and I haven’t been as overwhelmed since then.
Also, LOREENA MCKENNIT! I haven’t heard her name in years. I love love love her!
I’ve gotten to know her music through my husband, who’s a big fan–and SO excited about finally seeing her perform live!
I’m really hoping the Infomagical challenges take hold and stick. The phone re-arrangement is sticking, at least :-). I’m so glad it was so positive for you!