Information overwhelm has been a long-standing problem with me. I find it so difficult to choose which content to focus on; partly because I feel like supporting every writer I see, but I have to admit that I just cannot do read everything.

I no longer look at geopolitical content as much as I used to—thank God. I don’t even know why I was so obsessed with them before. Now, I’m thinking of reducing my blog feeds and Substacks. I need to reduce them significantly, but I don’t want to lose contact with all the wonderful blogs I’ve found.

Personal guidelines to manage information overwhelm

The big question: what guidelines do I need so that I don’t end up following enraged by my feed?

Although I enjoy reading about the many use cases of AI, right now, there’s so much toxic discourse around the subject that I have to avoid my Substack Notes feed altogether.

I like following AI content, but only the kind that is positive and nuanced. But the Substack algorithm is a mess – I can’t curate it like I can on Mastodon. Nor is it as ‘obedient’ as those on Xiaohongshu (Red Note). It has an agenda of its own.

One irresponsible click and I’m suddenly being recommended outrage content: Posts that are performative moral grandstanding, Restacks that are thinly-veiled attempts at bullying people, outrage, moral panics…

Posts that make me itch to respond with an angry retort…

So I have to come to the sad conclusion that the best way to manage this is…

Removing Substack from my phone

So, recently I wrote this on Mastodon and Notes:

Notes isn’t fun anymore. I’ve deleted the app (again) because it’s just too toxic. I lack the discipline not to peek at the FYP feed. Each time I do it’s a test of wills: Can I resist engaging with yet another rant? (Spoiler: Often, no. 🥲)  

This isn’t an airport—you don’t need to announce your exit. That’s always been my philosophy when leaving platforms.  

But this is for people who follow me on notes and whom I interact with often:  I’m limiting my time on Notes

Moving forward, I’ll focus on my newsletter and your comment sections instead.

I’m realistic enough to know I can’t quit entirely; there are still actual humans that I enjoy talking to. But lately, I am  being forced to read, or end up having to reply to debate bros or moral scolds. 

I don’t enjoy ideological trench warfare.

Pre-Notes Substack was so much more cosy and community like. Now it’s just a rage buffet where I’m constantly bracing for hostility just for having the “wrong” take. It’s like Twitter, but with essays.

As a non-American, the relentless US culture-war spillover is exhausting. My interests (Chinese culture, AI) sit at the intersection of every hot take imaginable, and I refuse to performatively hate [insert topic] to prove my “purity.” 

The collective blood pressure here could power a small city.

Substack needs Mastodon-style guardrails: keyword filters, limited reply visibility, etc. Right now, posting feels like poking a raw nerve into the open air—will this spark a great convo or attract harassment? I’m tired of the gamble.  

I have periodically withdrawn from Notes before but I think after receiving two back-to-back rude comments today from people who claim to be morally superior than I am, I am totally done.

See you in your newsletters, friends.

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I have removed the app from my phone and tablet. I mostly retained the app because I liked its read aloud function, and I enjoy listening to Substacks as I do my chores or go out for my walks. But I can use ElevenReader for that, even if it’s more tedious.

From now on, I’ll only access Substack from my laptop. If I want to reply, it will be from my laptop and I will only engage in people’s newsletters and not look at the ‘recommended’ feed any more. I will only follow people who do not write or recommend outrage/moralising posts.

I need to avoid using my smartphone too much anyway. I currently have tennis elbow and each time I use my phone or type too much, it sends me stabs of pain as a warning. In a way, it’s a nice alarm system!

Wrestling with Feedly

My philosophy: To funnel all content to one inbox. That inbox is Feedly, my RSS reader.

My current problem is that my feed is flooded with content I don’t look forward to anymore.

Here’s the thing: every time I open Feedly and see 35 blog posts, I feel like I must read them all. Even when I tell myself I don’t have to, I still feel compelled.

It’s time to do some serious Marie Kondo decluttering.

Will Substack remove its RSS function one day? Most probably, seeing how it’s trying so hard to be social media. Folks like me are an inconvenient stumbling block.

If that happens, so be it, I guess.

Weekend information workflow

I’m also implementing this workflow – it’s not the fastest way to read content, but perhaps this is the friction that I need.

Throughout the week I will scan my Feedly for articles I’d like to read, and compile it in my Obsidian vault.

Every Friday night, I will compile everything from Feedly into an eBook and read it in a café on the weekend.

I do this via Obsidian, which not only packages this into one document but converts it to epub. I will then read it on my tablet or e-reader in a cafe on Saturday or Sunday.

Remember the ritual of slowly going through the Sunday paper over coffee? What, only me? Well, I used to do this, and I guess this is the 21st century version of it.

If I want to respond to people, I’ll write it in my paper notebook first, then reply from my desktop. Tedious, yes. But worth it if it keeps me sane and prevents me from typing something in anger.

TL;DR: My information consumption workflow**

Substack

• Delete the Substack app from my phone. Goodbye Notes, but you’ve been terrible.
• Only access Substack on my laptop and engage within newsletters I follow.
• If I reshare anything to Notes, it is comments to the newsletters.
• If I want to reply to something, do it on my laptop—never on my phone.

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Have check-in times for social media

• Check all feeds once a day at 3 p.m.
• During that time, review:
  • WhatsApp messages
  • Substack posts
  • Any other important feeds
• Only do this on my desktop.

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Feedly

• Remove or archive feeds I no longer look forward to.
• Move “interesting but not essential” content to a Bookmarks page/folder.
• Keep only:
  • Career-related content
  • Chinese drama content
  • Content from friends
• Political content → Bookmark it instead of keeping it in Feedly.
• Daily: Scan for content I’d like to read and compile them into Obsidian.
• Friday: Compile them into one doc, which will be converted into an ebook.

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Weekly Reading over coffee

• On Saturday or Sunday, take that eBook to a café and read it on my tablet or e-reader.
• If I want to respond to something:
  • Write the reply in my paper notebook first. (Gives me time to think and not give in to outrage!)
  • Type and send it later from my desktop

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Platforms that stay

• Mastodon.
• Reddit – only some subs (currently only 3 that I go to regularly)

You know, compared to a lot of people, I’m pretty much a social media hermit!

Smartphone Use

• Avoid excessive smartphone use (tennis elbow).
• Remove any social media apps that tempt me into reactive reading or arguing.

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I need to remind myself:

• I cannot read everything.
• That energy responding to rude comments can be used to create beautiful things
• To consume content that improves my life, lifts my spirit or genuinely excites me.
• Avoid toxic, outrage-inducing content

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