Have you ever heard the phrase, “It’s like drinking from a fire hose?” Well, that’s what it’s like when you are a blogger.

Not only are you inundated with information and how-to’s, but you are also overwhelmed with everything you want to get done.

On top of that, you have to keep up with what’s hot and trending.

You are told to be everywhere. You are told to start a blog, start a podcast, write an eBook, host Twitter parties, start Facebook groups, Periscope with your audience, post to your YouTube channel, attend blab sessions, etc.

If you are not careful you will end up burnt out or simply drowning in the daily deluge of stuff.

As you move through your early season of entrepreneurship, it’s terribly important that you methodically approach what lies ahead and figure out how to set yourself up for learning, without losing it.

If you are one of those people that get distracted by the shiny object or look for the squirrel at a moment’s notice, you have to implement some level of discipline.

Likewise, if you are one of those extra-anal individuals that plans everything to an extreme degree and doesn’t like things out of place, you will need to relax a bit and be more fluid.

Being a blogger demands you remain flexible and diligent at the same time. I know this sounds like competing attributes, but it is the life you live as a blogger.

How to Handle the Onslaught of Information

Our senses are assaulted on a daily basis. We are constantly receiving more and more information, much of it useless. But, we continue to ask for more. We browse our phones nonstop and multitask at all times. We are a society that feeds off of large quantities of information.

When you discover a new topic, which you are insanely interested in, you of course try to soak it all up…as fast as possible.

Each click of the mouse brings a new page of information, a new bookmark. Each podcast you listen to gives you 324 new ideas to pursue. Each article you read results in 17 new domain registrations. It’s in your nature.

In the early stages of blogging, you are like a kid in a candy store. You can’t get enough of it.

But if you let it come at you with no method of reception, it will be lost, fragmented, or completely missed.

Here are 5 ways for you to handle the information storm.

1. Have a Collection Tool – And Your Big Head Doesn’t Count

You need to have a way to collect the information you are receiving. My go to resource is Evernote. Each time I come across a webpage, technique, or have an idea I throw it into Evernote.

Having a central tool, that is accessible across devices, is invaluable.

2. Organize – You Can’t Google Everything

As the information comes in, start to put it into buckets. In Evernote these are called folders. Create folders to store content on a related topic. I have folders dedicated to Tools I come across and other folders for collecting future blog post ideas.

Make sure you have a system for storing information, otherwise you end up just having a massive list of items and can’t find anything.

3. Filter – Not All Information is Good Information

Not all of the information coming at you is good information, and even some of the good information may not need to be kept around.

You HAVE to stay on top of this too. I continue to be amazed that my wife has a little red bubble on her phone for unread Mail messages that has a number in the thousands! Are you kidding me?

If you let the information pile up, without organizing it and filtering out the junk, you are doomed to drown.

4. Keep Your Focus – You Won’t Rule the World…At Least Not Right Away

Keeping your focus is a hard one. There will be information flying at you from all angles. Make sure you focus on only the information that directly benefits what you are working on right now.

If you have no plans to start a podcast, don’t start collecting articles related to podcasting. Seems straightforward but you’d be surprised. Too many people start collecting information for projects they might do in the future.

Focus on what you are working on and leave the future projects for the future. Most of the information you store now for that future project will be outdated when you dust it off anyway.

5. Clean Up From Time to Time – Have Some Respect For Yourself

Finally, don’t let your information repository become a cluttered mess that continues to grow beyond control. Every now and then go back into your folder structure and clean up the content.

Get rid of articles that are no longer relevant. Delete the information you no longer need. Just as you spring clean your house, you should also spring clean your online platform.