A while ago, I came across an interesting theory called the Lindy effect.

According to this theory, the longer something has survived and stayed relevant, the greater its chances of staying relevant in the coming years.

While this litmus test is useful in many cases, such as deciding between two brands when purchasing something for the long run, or gauging future stability between two job offers by looking at the company's past, I find this an interesting tool for managing information overload.

Unlike hundreds of years ago, when information reached us in scarce quantities, information today is abundant and often overwhelming at times.

And in the busyness of our days, there's only so much information we can consume and handle. This is where the Lindy effect comes in handy.

When choosing between information sources, I emphasise sources and ideas that will be relevant to me in the long run over short-term, expiring knowledge.

It's one of the primary reasons why I spend most of my reading time on good articles and books and very little on the news.

Here's an example to illustrate this point:

Say you have to pick between two bestselling books on the same topic — personal growth.

On the surface, both options look appealing. Both books are quite popular and well-recommended, but one has been in print for the last four years, and the other came out three months ago.

In such cases, I'll more likely choose the older book that has stayed relevant all these years over the newcomer, although the new book tempts me with the allure of newly surfaced information.

But I'm not dismissive of new ideas and technologies, so I would keep the newer book in my wishlist for the time when I can adequately measure its usefulness and relevance.

If you've been finding yourself drowning in information like many of us, try this simple litmus test to figure out what could be the next item on your reading list.

Now, speaking of time-tested ideas, Popt can be a great place to capture and work on your collected notes as you read more stuff.

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