Digital Minimalism is the need of the hour. Why, you ask?
We are surrounded by technology. We start our mornings scrolling through our phones in bed for hours, and end our days the same way. Our lives have become tech-centric. We no longer own technology, it owns us. Now is the time to seek ways to re-establish our relationship with technology. And there is a lot of room for improvement for every one of us. So, this is where Digital Minimalism comes in.
What is Digital Minimalism?
Digital Minimalism doesn't pop up in Google Trends till 2010. So that makes me arrive at the point that this concept is new to us.
What I understood from all the articles I have read till now on this topic can be stated in one line.
The idea behind this term is to be "more intentional about technology in your life". People who consider themselves as Digital Minimalists are aware of the value each and every application on their mobile phones provides them with. They do not have the 'fear of missing out' if they do not check their mobile phone 50 times a day.
Studies have shown that an average person touches their phone 2,617 times per day (tapping, swiping, typing, etc) — some people are even over 5,400 touches per day. Isn't this shocking?
Minimalism is not about lacking anything. It is about having enough of everything. If we can bring this mindset while using technology, it can definitely make a huge change at how we see it.
How to start your Digital Minimalism journey?
#1. Manage your inbox
Managing your email inbox is not the most interesting topic to talk about. But, emails can not be ignored.
When it comes to productivity, they can make or break your day.
It can become daunting at first to get it all done in a single day. So the key is to start small. I have written a dedicated detailed blog post about managing your email inbox. You can read it here.
#2. Unsubscribe from unwanted media sources
We live in a world where we can find information in every corner. But we ourselves need to figure out what is relevant to us and what is not.
One way of segregating the useful information is to unsubscribe from the unwanted sources of it. For example, you might be having multiple monthly magazines subscriptions. Ask this question to yourself - 'Do I get the time to read every one of it?' If the answer to this question is 'No', do not think twice and cancel the subscription right now.
The impact these small steps can have on our minds is enormous. When you will see only needed and relevant information in front of you, you will be able to consume it more mindfully.
#3. Uninstall not-needed apps
I like trying out new apps. And I am sure a lot of you like doing it too. Trying out a new app every other day is not a problem. The problem is that whether it is of use or not, we generally leave it on our phones after installing it. And it lives there without providing any value to us.
Make some time today for this activity which I am going to tell you right now. Sit down and clean your phone. Delete all the unwanted applications which are of no use to you.
But how to decide whether you are going to use an application or not? If you have not used an app in the last year, there are high chances that you are not going to use it in the future.
Don't think too much and just delete it.
#4. Folder method
We are now going to talk about your file management system. When it comes to this, there is a rule that I follow - I should be able to find out any file I am looking for in the minimum time possible.
To achieve this, I follow a tree structure while making the folder structure on my devices. If you want to know about how to create this tree-like folder structure in detail, please attend this class on Skillshare.
#5. Accessibility of data
There is one more rule I follow while creating my digital file system. It is that I should be able to access each and every important file anywhere and on any device. For this, I use cloud storage. There are multiple options available out there at reasonable prices. My personal choice is Google One.
In addition to this, sync all your devices. Whatever changes you make in one of your devices should reflect on every device of yours. Having all your devices synced can help you access your files anytime, anywhere.
So yeah, these were the five rules that I follow to achieve digital minimalism in my life. These rules have helped me a lot to remove clutter from my life. I hope you will find this useful as well.
Conclusion
Digital Minimalism can not be achieved in a day. It is a journey which we need to take throughout our lives. The few rules mentioned above can make a huge impact in your life in a positive way if followed religiously.
Welcomed by inbox zero can boost up your motivation level and help you achieve more throughout your day.
Removing unwanted information can make you more focused and can direct you in the right direction.
So yeah, these are the rules with which I started my Digital Minimalism journey.
Which ones are you going to try out?