From 41bd0ad58e44244fe67cb36e066d4bb68738516f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Christian Cleberg Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:30:23 -0500 Subject: massive re-write from org-publish to weblorg --- content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org | 100 +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 100 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org (limited to 'content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org') diff --git a/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84894d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2023-10-04-digital-minimalism.org @@ -0,0 +1,100 @@ +#+title: Digital Minimalism +#+date: 2023-10-04 +#+description: My personal retrospective on digital minimalism. +#+filetags: :personal: + +I've written [[/wiki/#digital-garden][a note about 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. + +#+begin_quote +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)/ + +#+end_quote + +* 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. -- cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2