Your "information footprint"—and how to shrink it

No one disagrees that we're choking on information pollution. According to statistics—actually, screw the statistics. If everyone agrees, then why add to the noise with more words?

Which is exactly my point today. We can't control the amount of information that comes in, but we can control what goes out.  If we all reduced our "information footprint," we'd have more time for—well, in my case, sleeping.

Here are five tips, most of which can be applied to the greatest source of infopollution—email:

1. Don't click "Reply All." Just don't.
   
2. If you can fit your message into the subject line (PTA meeting cancelled!), just tag on the letters EOM (PTA meeting cancelled! EOM). Soon enough people will realize this means End of Message and that they can save a click.
   
3. Vet it before you send it. Before you clog up your friends' inboxes with the news that Nike will swap your grungy sneakers for a new pair, visit snopes.com to make sure it isn't urban legend (it is). If it is true, google it to make sure it's not five years old.
   
4. Write fewer words. In my experience, any first draft can be cut at least by half without losing anything.
   
5. Don't tell me what I already know.  Any time you are tempted to begin a sentence, "As you know . . . ," STOP. Don't write it. I think most first paragraphs can be cut out completely.

Another tip: Buy my book Snapwriting! It's about how to communicate in a world where no one has the time to pay attention. But first wait until I finish writing it.