Trying Out the 30-Day Digital Declutter
I've been reading this book called Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. It's about his recommendation for doing a 30-day digital declutter.
A digital declutter is when you stop all unnecessary use of technology for 30 days, and it's meant to help you become more intentional with how you spend your time. If you free yourself from distractions that take away your time, then you can make conscious decisions about how you want to use that time instead.
The reason why technology is the focus of the decluttering is because technology (here read, 'your phone') is probably the biggest source of distraction in your life. In fact, most of the apps you spend your time with were designed purposely to be a distraction and to keep hold of your attention. That part isn't really news to anyone anymore I don't think.
Although, by the way, it's not all technology's fault. We like distractions. We want to be distracted. We want to numb our thoughts, look at random things, and not think about our lives. Technology is there to facilitate those impulses, so it takes some more will-power and intention to devote your time to more satisfying and fulfilling things.
Doing a digital declutter will not look the same for everyone. A lot of people have to use computers for their job. Some people even have to be on social media for their job. So everyone will have to use some discretion about what the unnecessary use of technology means for them. As a general rule, though, if someone is paying you to do it, then it's probably okay. It's all the ways you use technology that you're not getting paid for that you should be looking at.
But that's not to say the distractions aren't happening while we're at work. I usually have my phone at my desk when I'm at work, even though I don't need it. There really is no reason for me to have it there. It's just a distraction. I work for a chunk of time and then I feel like I need to check my phone for no reason. I do a quick check of my email. Maybe somebody sent me an email. Usually there's nothing new there. Go figure.
Or I want to see if maybe someone messaged me on a dating app. Hmm. Nothing there either...
It's really unnecessary and a total distraction that takes me away from what I should be doing. But there it is.
These are the kinds of things that a digital declutter will encourage you to look at and think about. And, ultimately, to stop doing. At least for 30 days.
If you stop your digital habits for 30 days, that should create enough of a separation for you to get some perspective and think about them more objectively. Maybe you'll see that habit as having been a complete waste of time and so you can feel grateful now that you've stopped doing it. Or maybe you'll see there are parts of it that you want to keep. Either way, the process is supposed to help you be more intentional.
Also, you're not supposed to just to sit there and white-knuckle it for the whole time. Newport recommends that you "aggressively pursue other things" for those 30 days. Join a sports league, start reading more books, go to the gym, take more walks, write more. Whatever it is, the idea is to be more intentional about it. Be conscious of the choices you're making about how you're spending your time.
Putting things in a schedule helps. Set up a time for the thing you want to try doing and then do it. Aggressively pursue the things you want to do for those 30 days.
Anyway, that's kind of the idea for a digital declutter. Though I haven't done it myself yet...😅