Death by 1k Tabs: Confessions of a Tab Hoarder

The article discusses the author's experience as a "tab hoarder," someone who accumulates an excessive number of open browser tabs. The author reflects on their journey from a college student discovering the internet to a person overwhelmed by 1,314 tabs across multiple devices. They describe the anxiety associated with closing tabs and the fear of losing valuable information. The author attributes their tab hoarding to various factors, including digital fear of missing out (FOMO), procrastination, and the ease of opening new tabs. Despite attempts to manage their tabs through organization and browser extensions, the situation spiraled out of control, especially after moving back to the U.S. The author eventually decided to close all tabs on New Year's Day, experiencing both liberation and loss. They acknowledge the challenge of maintaining a clean slate and the temptation to revert to old habits. While they feel a sense of order with fewer tabs, they also recognize the ongoing struggle with information overload and the need to evaluate what is truly valuable to read. Ultimately, the author admits to bookmarking the closed tabs, indicating that the cycle of tab hoarding may not be entirely over.

- The author identifies as a "tab hoarder," accumulating over 1,300 open tabs.

- Factors contributing to tab hoarding include digital FOMO, procrastination, and ease of use.

- The author experienced both liberation and anxiety after closing all tabs on New Year's Day.

- Despite attempts to manage tabs, the author still struggles with information overload.

- The cycle of tab hoarding continues, as the author bookmarks closed tabs for future reference.