Why your brain feels full 🤯

Last week I gave a talk on digital burnout.

While preparing, I came across a crazy stat…

The average human in 2025 consumes around 100 GB of data per day.

That includes everything your senses take in: text, billboards, screens, sounds, images, even conversations.

Perspective

To put this in perspective:

Our grandparents consumed roughly 0.2 GB per day.

That means we’re consuming (on average) 500x more data than them!

Or in more digestible terms, we’re reading 500 full newspapers every single day.

Yet our brains, attention, and energy are still running on the same biological “software.”

The Result

The result is a constant, low-level cognitive strain. We’re always processing and rarely resting.

Over time, that strain builds into mental fatigue, and eventually, digital burnout.

I said it last week and I’ll say it again: I believe it’s the silent threat to our overall health. And yet… we can’t simply unplug. Screens are how we work, create, and connect.

So the real question isn’t “how do we quit screens?”

It’s “how do we manage our relationship with them better?”

Not All Screen Time Is Equal

Because not all screen time is equal.

Scrolling through short-form videos for 30 minutes might flood your brain with 50x more sensory data than reading a an e-book for the same time.

That means it’s not just how long you’re online, it’s also what kind of data you’re feeding your mind.

Here’s what being screen smarter looks like:

1. Take more screen-free breaks. Even 5 minutes between meetings can help!

2. Be intentional. Build friction into distractions instead of relying on willpower.

3. Don’t beat yourself too hard. Every time you open a social app, you’re up against the world’s top behavioral scientists trained to keep you hooked!

Final Thoughts

💡 Try this mental game:

Each day, aim to consume less but gain more.

High-value content usually comes in smaller “data sizes.” A 10-minute podcast summary might be worth more than an hour of YouTube shorts.

So next time you pick up your phone, pause for a second and ask:

👉 Is this data helping me grow, or just filling space?

What do you think? Hit reply, I’d love to know.

See you next week,
George