In a world where information is touted as an individual’s (and a company’s) greatest asset, you have no choice but to soak up all the wisdom you can get. Sure, it’s easier said than done. With more information available than ever before–and with fewer people doing more of the work–it’s surprising we haven’t drowned in the glut of information.

The fallout is high stress (because you’re not performing at the level you or your executive team may think you should be); poor time usage (reducing the amount of time you spend on other responsibilities); and retention of useless information (which decreases brain RAM available for more readily needed knowledge). All of these add up to lowered morale, decreased productivity, lowered performance, and — perhaps of greatest concern — compromised health.

The full text of this article succinctly reviews five primary strategies for overcoming information overload, with each strategy including a review of "the poison" (how information overload shows up), and an antidote (how the strategy can help to master overload).