Selective Ignorance Isn't Laziness—It’s Strategic Genius

It’s easy to think that staying informed is always smart, but real productivity often means closing the floodgates. Imagine turning off your alerts, skipping the morning doom scroll, and using the quiet to actually create, build, or rest. When you quit default news binges, you realize the world keeps turning—your focus sharpens, your anxiety drops, and your creative spark returns.

Once, during a one-week ‘information fast’, I found myself finishing urgent projects in half the usual time, having deeper conversations, and even sleeping better. A colleague reported similar wins—she finally launched her website and asked her teenage son about his new hobby, all because she wasn’t glued to headlines. At first, you’ll feel jittery, as if you’re missing something crucial. But after a few days, you’ll realize most of what you ignored was irrelevant, repetitive, or unsolvable.

Attention economics researchers find that 'information overload' rapidly diminishes memory, decision quality, and happiness. By narrowing your inputs to just what matters, you regain control and live actively—not reactively.

Starting this week, challenge yourself to a five-day media fast—no news, no idle web surfing, no nonessential reading. Each time you catch yourself about to click something, pause and ask: will I actually do something with this information right now? If not, skip it and use that time for something intentionally chosen—writing a short note, tackling a high-impact task, or simply going for a walk. And if you get halfway through a book or podcast that’s boring you, give yourself permission to put it down. Savor the quiet and make note of where your mind wanders. Celebrate the moments you reclaim for yourself.