diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md | 106 |
1 files changed, 106 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..63259dd --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md @@ -0,0 +1,106 @@ ++++ +date = 2023-10-04 +title = "Digital Minimalism" +description = "My personal retrospective on digital minimalism." ++++ + +I've written [a note about minimalism](/wiki/#digital-garden) +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. |