Tim McCormick presented on using "Quantified Self" methods to improve one's information diet. He examined all media sources and signals in his life, measured how much attention each got, and considered if the attention was appropriate based on his priorities and values. He found it helpful to disable alerts, tame email by simplifying the interface and limiting messages, take breaks from technology, and redesign how news is consumed. These principles can also be applied to product development in scholarly publishing. The talk promoted organizing information signals to serve priorities, as distraction is a choice.
Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
Healthier Information
1. Healthier Information
using "Quantified Self” methods
to improve your information diet
Tim McCormick
HighWire | Stanford University
@mccormicktim / tim@tjm.org / tjm.org
QS Show & Tell, 3/28/12, Google
2. Healthier Information
using "Quantified Self” methods
to improve your information diet
Tim McCormick
HighWire | Stanford University
@mccormicktim / tim@tjm.org / tjm.org
QS Show & Tell, 3/28/12, Google
4. I work on "Tricorders" for
your information diet:
diagnose and address
your knowledge state.
5. What did I do?
1. Examine every media source and signal in my life.
6. What did I do?
1. Examine every media source and signal in my life.
2. Measure how much of my attention it gets.
7. What did I do?
1. Examine every media source and signal in my life.
2. Measure how much of my attention it gets.
3. Consider whether it gets the right amount of my attention
(based on my priorities and values).
8. What did I do?
1. Examine every media source and signal in my life.
2. Measure how much of my attention it gets.
3. Consider whether it gets the right amount of my attention
(based on my priorities and values).
4. Shift attention to the higher-value signals.
13. Next, tame your email:
example: Tim's Lower-Anxiety Gmail
1. Soothing color palette 2. G+ notifications disabled
3. "Important"
folder on top.
Only 10 mails
4. Personal in last 4 days
& work mail
managed,
prioritized
in 1 place
14. Next, tame your email:
example: Tim's Lower-Anxiety Gmail
1. Soothing color palette 2. G+ notifications disabled
3. "Important"
folder on top.
Only 10 mails
4. Personal in last 4 days
& work mail
managed,
prioritized
in 1 place
15. Next, tame your email:
example: Tim's Lower-Anxiety Gmail
1. Soothing color palette 2. G+ notifications disabled
3. "Important"
folder on top.
Only 10 mails
4. Personal in last 4 days
& work mail
managed,
prioritized
in 1 place
16. Next, tame your email:
example: Tim's Lower-Anxiety Gmail
1. Soothing color palette 2. G+ notifications disabled
3. "Important"
folder on top.
Only 10 mails
4. Personal in last 4 days
& work mail
managed,
prioritized
in 1 place
.. but most importantly, shut it off for 2-4 hours at a time to focus!
28. The Buddha:
"Pain is inevitable, but
suffering is a choice."
Today:
"Connection is inevitable
but distraction is a choice."
-- Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, ContemplativeComputing.org
29. The Buddha:
"Pain is inevitable, but
suffering is a choice."
Today:
"Connection is inevitable
but distraction is a choice."
-- Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, ContemplativeComputing.org
30. Thanks & Questions
Tim McCormick
HighWire | Stanford University
@mccormicktim / tim@tjm.org / tjm.org
