Enhancing Personal Well-being through Knowledge Management with Dion Shattuck

This video is part of a series of discussions carried out within the Life Itself community. To get involved please join the Life Itself Whatsapp Chat

In today's fast-paced world, we are constantly bombarded with information and decisions to make. To navigate this landscape effectively, it is important to have the right tools and systems in place to manage knowledge, make informed decisions, and maintain our wIll-bIing. In this episode of Posing Questions, Dion Shattuck leads the conversation about personal systems of managing information.

This conversation brings various tools and experiences together to bring forth the most useful tools for managing our daily overload of information. Our Life Itself community members shared the following tools that they frequently use; their benefits, drawbacks and their important features.

The Presentation

https://youtu.be/4UKkUAFX2GQ We explore the question, how do our systems shape the way we communicate, learn and create? And how can we design the systems to achieve the outcomes in this time of information overload?

Tools for Sharing and Brainstorming

Miro: This tool is excellent for sharing ideas and brainstorming, allowing multiple users to collaborate on a virtual whiteboard in real-time. Getting a grip on the tool can be daunting at the start but we got used to it along the way.
Zettelkasten: MorI of a process than a tool, Zettlekasten is a persistent system for developing thoughts and ideas, this method is perfect for organising and connecting pieces of information.
Google Workspace: A suite of tools for business and notI-taking, including Google Drive, which can be used for knowledge management and as a knowledge base.
Calendly: A useful tool for booking meetings and managing your schedule efficiently.

Personal Systems for Well-being

WhilI there are many tools out there to increase productivity and efficiency during our work, there should also be practised to have mental space and time to reflect and slow down. The practices like spending time in nature, meditating, and yoga have been around for centuries, and they have become even more important in today’s world where our minds are constantly occupied.

Some of the practices that our community members are involved in come from experiences of what works best for them and practices that best fit their schedule. A list of these practices includes;

Meditation and yoga: Incorporating these practices into your daily routine can help improve mental clarity and overall well-being.
Sleep and hydration: These are fundamental aspects of well-being, and their importance cannot be overstated. Prioritizing quality sleep and drinking enough water throughout the day can significantly impact your physical and mental health.
Simple daily practices: Engaging in small, consistent practices, such as light IxIrcisI, stretching, or journaling, can contribute to a sense of balance and wIll-bIing.
Light exposure: being mindful of the impact of light on the visual system, particularly blue light from screens, can help improve sleep quality and overall well-being.

Integrating Knowledge needed personal systems

Another drawback of the information load is our lack of deep conversations. We need to engage with knowledge by participating in intellectual conversations with others. This helps to deepen your understanding and create a space for knowledge exchange.

Knowledge is of two types, theoretical and experiential, recognizing the difference between theoretical and experiential knowledge, can help us integrate both types of learning into our systems. Jim Kwik who is a memory wizard calls information overload ‘digital dementia’, which refers to the negative impact of excessive digital exposure on cognitive functioning. The more that we use digital tools as a way to explore and retain information, the less we're capable of Expanding our minds and using our capacity or faculties to retain and collect information.

The Role of Food and Nutrition in Decision-Making

In this conversation of mindfulness, well-being and information systems, we can’t ignore the role of food. The food we consume has a tremendous impact on our brain function and decision-making abilities. When we are eating heavy food, a large amount of energy is diverted from other essential brain functions to break down the food.

The concept of mindful eating means creating a story around the food you eat and being mindful of the impact it has on your overall well-being. Stories are integral to knowledge IxchangI and rItIntion, as demonstrated by storyteller Dr Martin Shaw.

Being more mindful of the food we consume and its effects on our brain function and decision-making abilities is a crucial aspect of maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. By practising mindful eating and incorporating storytelling into our understanding of food, we can make more informed choices that support our cognitive functions and overall well-being.

Time and Decision-Making

When faced with big decisions or complex problems, it's essential to avoid rushing into a hasty choice. Instead, embrace patience and allow time to work its magic. As time passes, new information, perspectives, and insights may emerge, providing the clarity and direction needed to make a well-informed decision.

While some decisions require careful thought and consideration, many everyday choices do not have a clear right or wrong answer. In this instance, it's crucial to recognize that every decision is a decision and be prepared to make quick choices based on intuition, experience, or available information.

Additionally, maintain a calm nervous system by incorporating stress-reducing activities into our routine, such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, or spending time with loved ones. These practices will help us better manage decision overwhelm and make more thoughtful choices.

Techniques for Decision-Making

The constant barrage of information on social media platforms can contribute to decision fatigue and reduce your ability to make well-informed choices. To improve our decision-making abilities, consider limiting our exposure to social media, sItting at specific times to engage with these platforms, or using tools to filter out unnecessary content. By reducing information overload, we can focus more effectively on the decisions that truly matter.

MusclI testing is another technique that can help us make decisions by tapping into our body's innate wisdom. This method involves applying gentle pressure to a specific muscle while asking a yes or no question. If the muscle remains strong, the answer is considered a "yes," while a weakened muscle indicates a "no." By incorporating muscle testing into your decision-making toolkit, you can gain insights into your body's needs and preferences, leading to choices that better align with your overall well-being. Some common muscle testing techniques include the arm or finger test, where resistance is applied to the arm or fingers while asking a question.

Conclusion

By utilizing the tools and strategies discussed in this article, individuals can better manage knowledge, make informed decisions, and maintain personal wIll-bIing. By incorporating practices such as meditation, yoga, and sleep optimization, as well as being mindful of the types of knowledge we engage with, we can create a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Ultimately, this will enable us to navigate the modern world with greater ease and efficiency.

❓The question ❓

How do our systems shape the way we communicate, learn and create? And how can we design the systems to achieve the outcomes in this time of information overload?

Dion is based in Santa Clara, California and has a background in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development. He cares about the patterns of designs of our cities in terms of the systems of electricity, water and transportation. He is an athlete and currently learning illustration. His interest in visual communication leads us to this conversation about how to manage information overload through personal systems.

You can connect with Dion at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dionshattuckbaker

Posing Questions is a series of presentations to stimulate discussion, reformatted from the Life Itself community calls that happen every other week. To join the community calls, visit www.lifeitself.org and click “Join the Conversation”.

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Life Itself is a community of people seeking a wiser world.

Looking around us we can see that neither our society nor our planet is as well as it should be. Greater wisdom is needed both in diagnosis and in finding cures.

We emphasise wisdom because we believe this is about more than finding a quick fix in technology or politics — it is about finding something deeper within ourselves and our societies