Digital Minimalism: The Key to Working with Discretion in the Modern World
Cal Newport offers us a solution: Digital minimalism.
We have been in heavy digital traffic with technological developments. Our focus time is getting shorter and shorter. We have become able to do the things we previously completed in one sitting, perhaps by dividing them into hours, maybe days.
Digital communication tools, which are seen as innocent at first glance or as today’s reality, can be one of the biggest factors that undermine our efficiency.
Just when it comes to this, Cal Newport offers us a solution: Digital minimalism.
Digital minimalism has emerged as a sub-branch of minimalism and we can call it a modern philosophy based on the philosophy of digital simplicity.
“Attention: How did we lose focus, how can we regain it?” He describes his meticulous work on how to use digital minimalism in our lives. The definition of this concept from his language:
“Digital minimalism is a philosophy that helps you question how much digital communication tools (and the habits they create) affect your life. It is motivated by the belief that deliberately and aggressively removing low-value digital noise and your use of truly important tools can significantly improve your life.”
Parallel to this definition, it is worth remembering that Einstein said:
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simplified.”
If the definition below describes you, it’s probably time to introduce digital minimalism:
“In more concrete terms, if your hand goes directly to your phone when you have to sit alone in a queue for five minutes in every moment of potential boredom that we encounter in daily life, your brain has turned into” mental debris “in Nass’s phrase. means, that is, it is restructured in a way that does not allow for careful work.”
— Cal Newport, Pristine Attention
Carl Gustav Jung and Joseph Campbell have a common habit: They both took every means at hand to isolate themselves and stay alone with the subject they would work with, to study with utmost care.
Although Campbell is one of the greatest writers on mythology, he says he read 7–8 hours a day in the boring place he stayed in while he was a student.
Likewise, Jung retreated to the Bollingen tower in Switzerland, reading and writing for hours to develop his theories.
Both of them owe their success to very careful work. Although it is very difficult to work without interruption today; because we are constantly “online”, it is possible.
How to Become “Offline” for Success?
Imagine for a second that you are working right beside you with no technological equipment. No unexpected incoming messages, no calls interrupting your work, no inbox and notifications tab that you have to check constantly.
It will probably be a much more successful process, both in terms of efficiency and time. If you are stuck with these technological tools, you need to simplify as much as possible. While doing this, you may need to reconsider your digital wallpapers to your notifications. Although it may seem like unimportant details at first glance, the primary goal is to minimize the things that will disturb your focus.
Here Are 7 Things You Can Do to Minimize Your Digital Life:
- Delete all the applications and unnecessary files you do not use on your phone and computer.
- Do not have too many folders on your home screen and choose a wallpaper that will not strain your eyes.
- Turn off your notifications. When you close your notifications, it will be your choice to enter your accounts. In this way, you will never be tempted to take a glance at the incoming notification and then browse the following homepage. (iPhone’s Do Not Disturb and Sleep Mode is really amazing with this.)
- Set yourself a time to check emails and notifications, and do not go beyond this range unless possible. For example, you can save time by starting with a check every 2 hours and gradually expanding this interval.
- Get away: If nothing requires you to use your phone or computer, take it away not only from your room but also from your mind.
- Reminder: You don’t have to follow unnecessary people and like their posts on social media platforms.
- Learn hobbies away from digital. It is possible to improve yourself and spend your time with hobbies that will relax your mind. You will spend much more quality time.
- Take a walk without your phone. Really. Leave your phone at home and take a walk for half an hour, I cannot describe how light you will feel without it.
Do not forget that how much you will use the digital minimalism philosophy in your life is in your hands. But even being aware of the time you kill in digital environments will make a tremendous difference.
