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We live in a world of information and communication overload. There are emails, text messages, messengers, Facebook notifications, Twitter notifications, Skype…. the list goes on. This can be overwhelming for many of us. But do we choose to stay off these? Is it even practical to do so?

In all this clutter, we cannot help but acknowledge how these mediums have helped people and businesses communicate better. Taking control of your communication is the key.

Here are a few ways you can effectively communicate through various mediums:

Know the medium: Most of us choose a communication platform for various reasons. But, do we really understand it? Every medium is designed for a specific audience and for specific content. Understanding the medium before communicating on it is most important.

Define your engagement rules: Engagement is the most important aspect of communication today. The world is too noisy. If you want to cut through the clutter and capture mindshare, it is important to engage. Chart out your engagement rules – who you want to engage with, how much time you want to give them, and how you manage your time while doing so. When the rules are clear, communication becomes clear too.

Step back and think: It is always good to re-evaluate and understand whether a platform makes sense. Communication should aid you in managing relationships – personal and professional. What may seem the best medium today may not be so tomorrow. Therefore, think and gauge whether communicating on it is working.

End unnecessary communication: It is always great to experiment with different channels, but sometimes you just grow out of it. There is no reason to stick to communication platforms that you have used only a couple of times. Prune your communication channels – learn to delete and unsubscribe.