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diff --git a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md deleted file mode 100644 index bf923fa..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,99 +0,0 @@ -+++ -date = 2023-10-04 -title = "Digital Minimalism" -description = "" -draft = false -+++ - -I've written [a note about minimalism](file:///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. |