Managing Information Overload:
Techniques for Working Smarter

What is this course about?

In this course, you learn how to effectively and efficiently manage information. You gain the skills to exploit your intellectual capacity and take advantage of mind mapping and speed reading tools. You also learn how to set effective goals, prioritize tasks and manage expectations. With advanced power-browsing techniques, you learn how to rapidly acquire and retain new data, quickly recall important details, and accurately digest documents and Web pages. You also learn how to probe difficult informational problems with lateral thinking methods and how to rapidly assimilate new names and faces with simple but effective memory skills. All of the techniques taught on this course are then integrated into a complete methodology for dealing with e-mail that can be tailored into a unique and personally customized solution for managing all of the information sources coming into your life.

What is information overload?

Information overload occurs when you become burdened and overwhelmed by too much paper-based, electronic and verbal information. Information overload can lead to reduced productivity, added stress, difficulty making decisions, and decreased attention span and memory. To combat this overload, it is essential to adopt effective strategies for managing information.

Can I really learn how to manage information?

Surmounting information overload can seem like a daunting task. However, techniques for effective information management can absolutely be learned. In this course, you gain the knowledge and skills to accelerate information management and work faster. Tangible benefits include:

• Reducing unnecessary information and staying on top of e-mail
• Quickly assimilating new documents
• Rapidly memorizing business-critical information
• Incorporating your unique thinking style to best handle and communicate information
• Accurately mapping out and organizing tasks, appointments and reference information
• Researching documents and Web pages to rapidly and easily locate information
• Remembering names and faces

Who will benefit from this course?

This course is valuable for anyone who wants to accelerate their information management abilities. Those who work in a fast-paced environment or continually deal with rapid changes would find this course particularly valuable.

What background do I need?

No special background is required for this course.

Will this course help me remember people's names?

Yes! Forgetting people's names is a common problem and can be particularly difficult for managers, sales professionals and those who must quickly recall crucial customer information. This course will provide you with easy-to-learn memory techniques, ensuring you successfully and consistently remember names and faces.

How is this course different than Course 344?

Course 344, Time Management Essentials or Course A344, Time Management Essentials, or live online version, both focus on setting goals and priorities and applying tools to better manage your time. Course 246 maximizes your efficiency, productivity and effectiveness, taking full advantage of your time.

Will this course teach me how to handle digital information overload?

Yes! By learning how to reduce information flow, quickly distinguish critical from unnecessary information, and apply task triage and prioritization principles, you can significantly reduce the time you spend processing your e-mail inbox and other digitally delivered information. In addition, this course will provide you with a completely integrated methodology for managing tasks, appointments and reference information. This methodology can be highly customized to suit personal preferences and unique business requirements.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much of this course is spent in workshops?

Approximately 40% of this course is spent performing individual and small group exercises. You practice many of the techniques introduced in this course, such as applying advanced mnemonics, speed reading, mind mapping and profiling your personal thinking style.

Will I learn how to speed read?

Yes. Accelerating your reading speed is a simple and effective way to sharpen your information management skills. Regardless of your current reading ability, this course will teach you how to train your eyes and scan documents to maximize your absorption and retention of information.

Is this course applicable toward a Project Management Institute (PMI) certification?

Yes. Though this course is not designed as preparation for an exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward, or maintaining, a PMI certification. Most PMI certifications require a specific number of PDUs in order to obtain and maintain the credential. Completion of this course provides 11 professional development units (PDUs).

Learning Tree offers several courses that help you prepare for PMI certifications, including Course 276, Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Exam, which prepares you for PMI's most popular certification. For more details on these courses and PMI certifications, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A.

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

Related Learning Tree courses that sharpen your professional skills include:

• Course 284, Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving, provides the tools to leverage your personal thinking preferences using tools and techniques based on cutting-edge technologies.
• Course 344, Time Management Essentials or Course A344, Time Management Essentials, focus on setting goals and priorities and applying tools to better manage your time.
• Course 244, Assertiveness Skills: Communicating with Authority and Impact, provides you with the confidence to act assertively.
• Course 292, Communication Skills: Results through Collaboration, helps you improve listening skills, deliver effective messages and bridge different communication styles.
• Course 294, Influence Skills: Getting Results without Direct Authority, helps you successfully collaborate with others working at different levels and functional groups to accomplish your objectives.
• In Course 297, Personal Skills for Professional Excellence, you gain a comprehensive and proven set of professional skills to build your reputation for delivering results.
• Course 345, Delivering Dynamic Presentations, helps you plan and deliver polished presentations with confidence.
• Course 290, Management Skills, provides a working knowledge of the key aspects of management and practical techniques for eliciting high employee performance.