Design Your Inputs: How to Filter for Focus Without Losing Creative Fuel
You didn’t choose most of the information you consume.
Not really.
Sure, you subscribed. You clicked follow. You opened the app.
But somewhere along the way, the system took over.
This is what I call algorithmic drift.
It's when your information environment is subtly shaped by what platforms want you to see, rather than what you intentionally need. It feels personalized, but the outcome is often fragmented focus and shallow inspiration.
You’re overloaded, yet undernourished creatively.
In response, many creatives I work with swing hard in the direction of cutting everything off.
They unsubscribe, delete, and detox. While that might bring temporary relief, it also cuts them off from the diversity of inputs that feed original thinking and serendipitous insight.
Taking charge of your information intake doesn’t mean cutting everything off. There are more nuanced, sophisticated ways to create space for what matters most.
Ones that honor both your need for clarity and your need to explore the unknown.
To stay open to new insights without drowning in them.
To make space for discovery without letting distraction take over.
This isn’t about consuming more or less. It’s about engaging with the right information at the right time, in the right way.
Start Here: Run an Input Audit to Realign Your Creative Focus
Our focus is on building an agile system that is responsive to your current intentions and contexts.
In order to do this, we’ll start by observing.
Step 1: Map Your Sources
Begin with a no-judgment brain dump of everything you regularly consume and where it comes from:
Newsletters, YouTube channels, podcasts,
Social accounts, RSS feeds,
Saved links, tabs, blogs
Use a sketchbook, whiteboard, post-its, or mind map to give your thinking space.
Don’t filter yet—just notice.
Step 2: Apply a Progressive Filter
Once everything’s visible, sort your inputs into four categories.
Think of these as layers of relevance to your current creative intentions:
Core
Your essential creative catalysts—sources that consistently spark ideas, influence your work, or support your ongoing projects.
Peripheral
Adjacent or tangential sources that feel relevant but don’t tie directly to anything you’re working on right now.
Horizon
Novel or intriguing channels you’re curious about. They don’t yet connect to your priorities, but they stretch your perspective in interesting ways.
Noise
Sources that no longer energize, inform, or inspire you—and probably never did. These dilute your attention and deserve to be archived, muted, or eliminated.
Step 3: Prune and Refresh
Now that you’ve got your inputs categorized, make it a habit to engage with this ecosystem.
Set a recurring 15-minute review (weekly or monthly) to:
- Evaluate what you consumed that week and adjust your channels and sources. Were there authors that moved up or down the filter categories? Did you discover a YouTube channel that relates perfectly to a specific project you are working on?
- Evaluate your information backlog based on what you learned and prioritize high-value sources and channels in the coming week.
- Clear out anything labeled Noise. Unsubscribe, unfollow, or archive sources and channels that are no longer relevant.
As you move through the week, set time aside for intentional input. I dedicate 30 minutes a day, but adjust as needed.
A week might look like 4 days focused on core sources, two days on peripheral, and one day on horizon—but experiment and make it your own.
A quick side note:
I also recommend integrating "Play" inputs into your week.
This means you are reading, watching, or engaging with sources for the sake of enjoyment.
If you are obsessed with Netflix's latest reality show, "Is it Your True Love or Cake?" then obsess unapologetically.
Don't worry about classifying or including it in your system, just enjoy.
This system isn't designed for purity or extracting every bit of relevant information from your sources. It’s designed for flow, consistency, and most importantly, intentionality.
A healthy creative information system welcomes novelty while protecting your focus.
It evolves with your projects, your interests, and your capacity.
If you want to dive deeper, add these resources to your input system.
Flow Forward: Key Resources for Creative Growth
10 Information Overload Solutions for 2025
Information overload isn’t always about volume. Sometimes it’s about design. This guide offers practical, layered strategies to reduce overwhelm and improve clarity, from the 80/20 Rule to dashboards and mindful filtering.
What Is Information Foraging Theory?
We hunt information like animals hunt food. This visual explainer breaks down how minor tweaks to “information scent” can enhance learning, memory, and collaboration, particularly when navigating the web’s vast content.
Information Foraging (Research Summary)
This paper outlines the comprehensive ecosystem of how we seek, evaluate, and adapt to information environments. From “information diets” to time spent in “patches,” it’s a fascinating, research-backed look at designing inputs that actually serve your creative goals.
Build the System That Serves Your Creative Mind
The goal isn’t to cut off the flow of information.
It’s to shape it so it works for you, not against you.
By stepping out of algorithmic drift and into intentional input design, you reclaim your attention as a creative asset. You build an environment where clarity and exploration can coexist. Where your ideas aren’t just scattered impressions, but signals with room to grow.
So here’s your invitation this week:
Run your input audit.
Start your progressive filter.
Begin shaping your system, one choice at a time.
If you’re experimenting with your own filtering approach or wrestling with overload in a different way, I’d love to hear from you. Just hit reply. I read and respond to every message.
Talk soon,
Jeff
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If this helped you think differently about how you manage information, share it with a friend or fellow creative who could use a little clarity this week.
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