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diff --git a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md index 6214094..bf923fa 100644 --- a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md +++ b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.md @@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ 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. +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 @@ -16,29 +16,29 @@ I've been able to minimize the impact of digital devices in my life. > 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)* +> _(Digital Minimalism, 2019)_ # The Principles of Digital Minimalism -As noted in Cal Newport's book, *Digital Minimalism*, there are three main +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. + - 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. + - 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. + - 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 @@ -47,47 +47,47 @@ 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. +- 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. +- 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. +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. +- 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 |