Digital Minimalism

Digital Minimalism shows us where to draw the line with technology, how to properly take time off our digital devices, and why doing so is the key to living a happy, focused life in a noisy world.

Henry David Thoreau promoted the first principle in his book, Walden. It’s based on the idea of New Economics, which examines additional, non-monetary costs when you are calculating the value of something.

An example of this would be purchasing a car to drive into town rather than walking. The price you pay for the car isn’t the only cost involved. You need to also consider the effort and stress it would take to earn this money. Then, there’s keeping the car secure and maintained.  When weighing all the factors, maybe the healthy practice of walking a few miles into town is a better choice.

We should apply this same thoughtfulness to the digital media we let into our life.

The second component is called the Law of Diminishing Returns. This principle illustrates that you can’t just continue adding stuff and expect continued improvement.

One example is my manager at work. When there’s a big project, her solution is to round up a small army of people to get it done. I always say no and instead ask for a team of two or three good workers. I know that too many people will only cause a mess.

We can look to the Amish for another principle to help us have healthier relationships with technology. These people don’t reject it outright. Instead, they test and question new ideas and products first. If the item passes their test, they will gladly use it. If not, it will be banned. We should use this same value-based approach when evaluating which digital technology to use.

Aristotle pointed out that, to live the good life, one must have the downtime needed for deep contemplation – for no other reason than to enjoy the thinking process itself. Actions that provide a source of inward joy are vital to a satisfying life. Newport refers to these as “high-quality leisure,” while calling distractions such as social media and absent-minded binging “low-quality recreation.” We should maximize space for our best projects by reducing the less impactful ones to a minimum. Hobbies requiring strenuous effort might sound tiring, but you’ll often come away feeling satisfied and energized. Physically engaging ones with three-dimensional objects are especially beneficial. YouTube tutorials, though still on a screen, can help you learn how to build a backyard pond, play an instrument, or complete a woodworking project. I consider writing a high-quality endeavor that brings me joy. I invested in an 18-hour video tutorial called Write Like a Pro,…