Digital minimalism by Cal Newport - Illustrated book lessons

Hi friends.

We are at book number 44 out of 100 great books illustrated book lessons. I am continuing with Cal Newport’s books as he writes sane things which are attached to the earth and reality.

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Nobody imagined that. The day will come when we all will be distracted pigeons pecking for variable rewards that blue screens provide. Smartphones have killed the good old days of laziness and solitude.

We are left with constant craving for novelty and dopamine kicks and we cannot relax fully even at 3 am in night.

So what is the solution for this? We have to change our relationship with technology.

Abstinence from tech will not solve the root cause of addiction. We need intentional declutter of our digital life.

Social media makes us addict due to two tricks.

Variable reward keeps us pecking on the screens and social approval feedback loop of likes and retweets keeps our tongue out.

Changing the relationship.

Convenience is not critical. See a benefit given by any tech in terms of amount of your life and energy that you have to exchange to utilize it. This life energy theory was discovered by Thoureau and forwarded by Viki Robin.

So how to do digital declutter.

Take break from optional technology for 30 days. All apps and sites and gadgets you do not need to breathe and survive.

Find high quality and meaningful activities to fill the time that you recover by doing this.

Activities should involve active consumption instead of passive consumption. These should be in line with your values and involve real people and nature.

Reintroduce the technology intentionally.

To do that ask questions.

First does this tool align with my values?

And is it the best tool to fulfill this purpose?

After digital declutter practice the lost art of solitude.

Solitude is the time when you are free from input from other brains. Go on long walks without phone. Write notes in your booklet. Go into the forest or hills.

Next know that social media makes us hyperconnected but still lonely. Connection is not same as conversation.

Focus on deep one to one conversations with real human beings. Few things that we can do are as follows -

Keep your phone on do not disturb by default.

Use timeboxing by dedicating fixed time to reply Email and messages.

Talk to your close circle instead of texting.

Use one device for one set of works. Do not make phone all purpose genie.

Delete apps. Dumb down your phone.

Consume high quality content only.

And hence help yourself and your kids to lead a pleasurable life.

As Bennet had discovered leisure should be active. Do something with your hands and fix something instead of clicking of keypads.

Do activities which satisfy by the very act of performing them.

Next plan high quality leisure.

Craft something. Repair something. Produce valuable stuff with hands.

Do not waste too much time in low quality entertainment.

Join groups and clubs.

This way you can reclaim your focus and join the attention resistance. You were not born to enjoy millions of dopamine kicks and then die alone.

Leaving you with the back page of Easy book of thoughts.