diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org')
| -rw-r--r-- | blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org | 98 |
1 files changed, 98 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org b/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebcc6a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org @@ -0,0 +1,98 @@ ++++ +date = 2023-10-05T02:10:47+00:00 +title = "Digital Minimalism" +description = "Some personal reflections on digital minimalism." ++++ + +I've written [a note about minimalism](/notes/minimalism) before, but I wanted +to dedicate some time to reflect on digital minimalism and how I've been able +to minimize the impact of digital devices in my life. + +> These changes crept up on us and happened fast, before we had a chance to step +> back and ask what we really wanted out of the rapid advances of the past +> decade. We added new technologies to the periphery of our experience for minor +> reasons, then woke one morning to discover that they had colonized the core +> of our daily life. We didn’t, in other words, sign up for the digital world in +> which we’re currently entrenched; we seem to have stumbled backward into it. +> *(Digital Minimalism, 2019)* + +## The Principles of Digital Minimalism + +As noted in Cal Newport's book, *Digital Minimalism*, there are three main +principles to digital minimalism that I tend to agree with: + +1. Clutter is costly. + - Digital minimalists recognize that cluttering their time and attention + with too many devices, apps, and services creates an overall negative + cost that can swamp the small benefits that each individual item + provides in isolation. +2. Optimization is important. + - Digital minimalists believe that deciding a particular technology + supports something they value is only the first step. To truly extract + its full potential benefit, it’s necessary to think carefully about how + they’ll use the technology. +3. Intentionality is satisfying. + - Digital minimalists derive significant satisfaction from their general + commitment to being more intentional about how they engage with new + technologies. This source of satisfaction is independent of the specific + decisions they make and is one of the biggest reasons that minimalism + tends to be immensely meaningful to its practitioners. + +## Taking Action + +In order to put the logic into practice, I've created a few new habits and +continued performing old habits that are working well: + +### Using Devices With Intention + +- I already rarely use "social media", mostly limited to forums such as Hacker +News and Tildes, so I've just tweaked my behavior to stop looking for content in +those places when I'm bored. +- Use devices with intention. Each time I pick up a digital device, there should +be an intention to use the device to improve my current situation. No more +endless scrolling or searching for something to interest me. + +### Prevent Distractions + +- Disable (most) notifications on all devices. I spent 15-30 minutes going +through the notifications on my phone, watch, and computer to ensure that only a +select few apps have the ability to interrupt me: Calendar, Messages, Phone, +Reminders, & Signal. +- Disable badges for any apps except the ones mentioned in the bullet above. +- Set-up focus profiles across devices so that I can enable different modes, +such as Personal when I only want to see notifications from people I care about +or Do Not Disturb, where absolutely nothing can interrupt me. +- Clean up my home screens. This one was quite easy as I already maintain a +minimalist set-up, but I went extreme by limiting my phone to just eight apps on +the home screen and four in the dock. If I need another app, I'll have to search +or use the app library. +- Remove the work profile from my phone. This was a tough decision as having my +work profile on my device definitely makes my life easier at times, but it also +has quite a negative effect when I'm "always online" and can see the +notifications and team activity 24/7. I believe creating a distinct barrier +between my work and personal devices will be beneficial in the end. + +### Creating Alternative Activities + +This is the most difficult piece, as most of my hobbies and interests lie in the +digital world. However, I'm making a concerted effort to put devices down unless +necessary and force myself to perform other activities in the physical world +instead. + +I've started with a few basics that are always readily available to me: + +- Do a chore, such as organizing or cleaning. +- Read a book, study a piece of art, etc. +- Exercise or get outdoors. +- Participate in a hobby, such as photography, birding, disc golf, etc. +- Let yourself be bored and wander into creativity. + +## Making Progress + +I'll be taking notes as I continue down this journey and hope to see positive +trends. I've always been a minimalist in the physical world and it feels +refreshing to filter out the clutter that has come to dominate my digital life +over the years. + +I'm excited to see where this journey leads. + |