Today, let’s learn about Digital Minimalism. Specifically on our phones.
In 2018 Apple added the feature “Screen Time” to their mobile devices.
This feature showed the user how much time they had spent on their phone during the week, and even got as specific as to show how much time per app.
Lately I’ve been doing some research into Digital Minimalism, and I have a few things I’d like to share with you today.
These are the changes I’ve made in my own life.
No Social Media
I’ll be the first to tell you I’ve had more than my fair share of social media. So I’m not someone who never experienced it, and just hates it.
I’m someone who has experienced it, and now sees how dangerous it can be.
To be transparent the apps I had on my phone were:
I could write a whole post on the topic of social media alone, but I’ll just share this one reason for finally walking away from it.
“I couldn’t continue participating in something I knew in my heart I’d be better without”.
Jeff’s Inner Thoughts
“No” News
When people find out that you don’t:
- Have or watch TV
- Don’t read the paper
- Don’t have a news app on your phone
The first thing they always say is,
“How do you even know what’s going on in the world?”
So while it may sound good in theory to always “know what’s going on around you”, in reality it’s not always a good thing.
Why? Because we all know that bad news is what gets people’s attention.
Stories about murder, rape, violence, and crime in general is what headlines the news.
I can tell you that for all the years I did keep up with the news, I don’t have a lot of good to show for it today. Too often I’d just end up thinking :
“Man, the world sure has gotten crazy”.
So because I wasn’t truly benefiting from the news, I decided to eliminate it from my phone.
Now I listen to the news briefly on the way to work and that’s all.
I made a conscious decision to eliminate that constant negativity. Information is not valuable to me if it always puts me down emotionally.
YouTube , Spotify, And More
When you totally clean out a room it’s easy to think about all the new stuff you can put in its place.
The same is true with digital minimalism. It’s easy to get rid of a lot of distractions, and then replace them with new ones.
But I didn’t want to do that.
When it comes to entertainment, I always aim for extreme caution. Why? Because I don’t believe we should just do whatever makes us happy.
“I believe we should do what is best for us”.
Taking medicine is never fun, but I’d always rather be healthy than sick. Strict diets from the doctor aren’t enjoyable, but again, I’d rather live a good and long life.
So when it comes to my choices in entertainment I’m careful to set certain guidelines.
Music
If the music doesn’t align with my values, I don’t listen to it.
I don’t drink, smoke, chase women, or hustle so I don’t listen to music which talks about such things.
Instead I prefer listening to Gospel music, and relaxing instrumentals to help me focus on my work.
Video
The eyes are the window of the soul. So what am I willing to let in?
A little nudity? A bit of violence? I think not. Video presents a great way to learn new things, but I believe in being safe rather than sorry.
I use YouTube to help me learn about finance, menswear, minimalism, and more. Because I have a Premium membership I am able to use the “play in background “ feature.
So I actually listen to a lot more videos than I watch. This is the main reason I pay for this membership each month is for this function.
I can still get that information while staying on the go!
My Goal With Electronics
My goal with all electronics (especially my phone) is for them to be nothing more than a tool I use for specific things at specific times.
I don’t want to always have a electronic in my hand. I don’t want those things to keep me from personal relationships with my loved ones and friends.
Often times I opt to leave my phone in the car when I go inside a restaurant or to a social gathering with friends.
Since I don’t have social media, I’m not tempted to capture and share every moment with my camera.
I can simply be present , make memories, and reflect on them later on. There’s nothing wrong with taking pictures, but don’t let that separate you from the value of those special moments.
Conclusion
If you’re curious to know how digital minimalism has helped me on a daily basis I’ll be glad to tell you.
I find myself reaching for my phone less, because I have less to do on it.
My AirPods have been a huge help as I can listen to a audiobook or podcast while my phone is in a completely different room.
Additionally, my AirPods read texts to me so I know when I need to actually walk back over to my phone.
As I mentioned earlier, when I go out somewhere and I know I’ll be with friends, I typically just leave my phone in the car.
I want to give my friends my undivided attention.
Electronics definitely have their place in this world, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. To have the best relationship with them however, we must find that proper balance.
Digital minimalism helps me find that balance. Hopefully this post helps you consider new ways to find that balance too.
Until next time Gents!
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