08-19-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

19 leaders on staying informed without getting overwhelmed

How to separate signal from noise and make room for judgment.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

BY Fast Company Impact Council

Information overload may have started with 24/7 news channels, but where it ends is more a matter of intervention than invention. One thing is certain: Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Drowning in facts, figures, news, opinion, and conjecture can lead to decision paralysis and mental exhaustion.

We asked members of the Fast Company Impact Council how they stay informed without getting overwhelmed. These tips from 19 of them may help you sift the signals from the noise, leaving headspace for what matters.

1. CURATE TRUSTED SIGNALS

I curate ruthlessly. I build my day around a handful of trusted signals instead of an endless feed. Years ago, I even launched a morning roundup of the 10 stories that actually mattered so lawmakers could be current by 10 a.m. Today, I publish a newsletter for 30,000 readers, which forces me to constantly separate noise from what’s genuinely consequential. My advice: Choose a few sources you trust, set a fixed time to consume them, and give yourself permission to ignore the rest. — Howard Franklin, Ohio River South

2. KEEP A FIXED WEEKLY CADENCE

I read primary sources on a fixed weekly cadence (papers, filings, regulator statements) and mostly skip the commentary about them. My filter is convergence, not volume: When a central bank, a research lab, and a CEO on an earnings call independently flag the same risk in the same quarter, that’s signal. One loud take from anyone is noise I let pass. — Usman Khan, ADP

3. USE AI AS A FILTER

I use artificial intelligence to help distinguish signal from noise in the news. I treat it as a guide and coach, not gospel. When I know my audience, I ask for timely insights I can weave naturally into a conversation, rather than drowning in information. — Jacqui Canney, ServiceNow

4. SLOW DOWN TO HELP OTHERS CATCH UP

Staying informed and driving innovation is the best part of the job. What can be overwhelming is bringing everyone along for the journey or educating others as things change so rapidly. I find that slowing down to provide demos or office hours allows others to keep pace and helps drive even more innovation alongside me. — Tigran Sloyan, CodeSignal

5. CARVE OUT INTENTIONAL........

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