Internet marketing has too much available information.

In the same way as we’ve grown from a handful of TV channels to seemingly one channel per person in the world (I know it’s not quite that many but if you count all the YouTube channels it’s probably getting scarily close), internet marketing has more sources of information than any sane person can cope with.

Prune your inbox

Emails are time consuming – there’s a school of thought that says you should leave them until late in the working day, otherwise they consume all your time.

Internet marketers often send lots of emails. You’ll know that if you’ve ever subscribed to some of their lists.

One of the reasons is that emails are a bit like Twitter feeds – they scroll off your screen and unless you’re specifically tracking one down, you leave them for later. Where “later” is very similar in meaning to a teenager’s comment – shorthand for “probably never”.

Which means a lot of internet marketers send out multiple emails per day.

Even the quieter lists can send an email most days.

So email overload happens fast. Especially as you tend to get added to a new list with every new product you buy.

So instead of taking the easy option and pressing the delete key, take the time to click the unsubscribe link that’s near the end of almost every email you get.

Yes, it takes a bit longer as your web browser probably has to open up the page.

But it will save time and overload in the longer run.

If you’re like most internet marketers, you’ll probably need to prune your inbox in this way once or twice a year, much like you’d prune plants in a garden.

Learn to focus

This one is big.

Focus is the key to getting things done.

But most of us fall off the track at least once in a while – and if you’re just starting out your internet marketing career, once in a while often translates to several times a day.

Set aside some time to work on your internet marketing without any distractions.

Sure, if you work better with music in the background then put a track on.

Some people find that the change in mindset by doing this is positive as the music can be a trigger for “I’m in work mode”.

Others find that logging out of Skype and other instant messenger programs helps. As does closing down their email program and logging out of Twitter and Facebook.

You’ll know where your time sinks are – they’re the places you always end up when you’re supposed to be working on your internet marketing.

The thing with focus is that it can tip the balance between being overloaded and actually getting things done.

If you can’t focus easily, drill down to smaller parts of your business that need to be worked on.

Blue sky, big picture, thinking is all well and good. Some consultants get paid handsome sums for it.

But lots of other people then do lots of small parts to make the big picture come to life.

Chances are that you’re filling most (if not all) of those roles.

So focus on one thing at a time.

And if it’s below the pay grade you’d like to be getting from your internet marketing, delegate it to an outsourcer.

That’s something I don’t do as often as I should but I’m getting better. And I think you can and should do the same.

I don’t outsource posts like this one as I think it’s important for my voice to come through in the words I write.

But if you struggle to write long posts, work out what you can do to reduce the feeling of overwhelm that they can induce.

Maybe record an audio.

I’ve done that whilst walking – you can get an app on your phone that records your voice and uploads to your podcast channel.

It’s not something I’ve done recently as I found my personal preference was to use my walking time as my thinking time.

But try it if you think it could help you focus.

Videos may be your way of focusing.

Or short-ish replies on forums.

Anything that helps get you closer to your goals and reduces the feeling of overload.

Learn to relax

I hinted at this a bit earlier.

A short walk works wonders for me – it’s like recharging my batteries.

Yoga or meditation or hypnosis work for lots of people.

Because you need personal time and personal space to help deal with the overload that so often comes with being alive.

Sometimes less really is more.

Learn to relax and learn to enjoy the moment.

That’s not just a trite new age thing.

You’ll find that if you take the time to relax and notice what’s happening around you, your outlook changes. Usually for the better.

You’ll notice all sorts of things you’d glossed over in your mind before.

And you’ll also notice those small, seemingly unimportant, details that actually make the difference between success and lack of success.

The process of relaxing will help reduce the feeling of overload because you’ve had time to unwind and your mind has had time to come to terms with what’s happening rather than rushing around in permanent panic mode.

Get help

You’re not alone!

There are millions of people on this planet.

And there are hundreds, probably thousands, of them who are willing and able to help you.

Find someone whose style you get along with.

Whether that’s brash or laid back or whatever else.

Focus on what they do as well as what they say.

If you’re comfortable with both those elements, take the time to put those pieces into the jigsaw that’s your own internet marketing business.

Get help from them.

Treat them as your mentor.

Even if you’ve never spoken to them or met them face to face – read or re-read the chapter in Think and Grow Rich about doing this to create your own mastermind group even if the people in the group are no longer able to be physically present in it.

Your mind is powerful. Very powerful.

And it can help you overcome those feelings of overload if you let it.

Getting help is, in my view, an essential part of the internet marketing equation.

You’ll move further, faster and with less feeling of overwhelm.