Minimalism and Technology: How to Use Technology to Your Benefit.
15 January, 2018 // in The Coffeehouse Cleric // by Alex Rowe.
Why apply minimalism to your technology?
(1) Focus on the people you love.
There have been times when I was so attached to my smartphone that I was somehow detached from my immediate surroundings. I was numb to the people around me, to the place I was. Sometimes, even now, when I think I gain something from checking emails or responding to notifications, I actually lose the people around me. Sometimes, I am so distracted that I am rarely fully present to those right in front of me.
Fundamental to what it means to be human is to relate to one another, and we do so in a variety of beautifully complex and nuanced ways. This can include technology, of course, but we must ask ourselves: Is our current usage of technology to the benefit of these relationships, or to their detriment? The technology we have is full of potential, but it can become harmful or dangerous if it goes unmoderated. The risk becomes greater than the reward.
Realising this, helps me love and cherish the people given me in this world.
(2) Make time to do what you love.
Sometimes I catch myself in the very act. It’s been thirty minutes and all I have done is procrastinate online, endlessly scrolling down a newsfeed, repeatedly clicking refresh, not knowing for what exactly I am looking. I catch myself out. I’m distracted. And I realise I’m not feeling that great either.
On the flip side, when I have spent a good portion of my day doing something creative, something productive, I feel so much better. I feel alive. When I read, for instance, or when I write, or run, or pray; when I commit myself to these and work at them, I feel as though I am doing that for which I was made. I was born for this. It is not always easy — in fact, quite the opposite much of the time — but it is infinitely more worthwhile and valuable to me.
Realising this, gives me incentive to be careful how I use the time given me each day.
How to apply minimalism to your technology.
Do not use your smartphone as an alarm clock.
For a vast majority, the last thing in the evening and the first thing in the morning that people do is to check their smartphone. But this is neither conducive to real rest nor true wakefulness. It becomes far too easy to begin the day with distraction. I recently purchased a travel alarm clock, and I now use this to wake me up each morning. I keep my smartphone in another room, away from my bed.
Always have your smartphone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode.
In the past, I have found myself checking my smartphone with a kind of obsessive compulsiveness. Now, however, with my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, I no longer have the urge to check my phone with every notification that comes through. I am no longer reacting to the demands of my smartphone. Now, I check my smartphone only when I decide to do so. As a result, I find that I can focus for longer periods of time.
Turn off emails, social media, and internet surfing on your smartphone.
Do we really need to check our phones every time we’re queuing in line at a café, waiting for a bus, or taking a short break from work? Since turning off many notifications on my smartphone, I find that I can be much more present in the moment. Very few notifications are so urgent that they require immediate attention. Now, when I find myself with a few minutes to spare, I pause, breathe, take in my surroundings, and use the time to slow down and think.
Check your email at set times of the day.
Too often, our email inbox determines how we manage our time. An email comes in, requiring attention or action, and we are inclined to react to it straight away. This kind of reactionary behaviour to our email inbox ruins our ability to prioritise and focus on big or important tasks. We may feel a degree of gratification for quickly responding to emails, but this often comes with sacrificing the quality of our work. Our best work needs prolonged periods of time for deep concentration. These are the conditions for optimum creativity. I check my emails twice a day, at 11AM, and 4PM. As a bonus tip, start unsubscribing from all those spam emails.
Use the social media that works for you.
How much of the social media that we use is actually necessary? Is our use of social media enhancing or diminishing the quality of our lives? I try only to use the social media that (1) helps me to connect with friends in a meaningful way, and (2) enables me to better pursue my passions in life.
Personally, I find that media such as Twitter or Snapchat don’t fit into either of the two categories. Facebook, on the other hand, is a great way for me to keep in touch with friends in different parts of the world. My primary mode of creativity is writing, so I use Medium for reading articles by others and for publishing my own.
Use the social media that is appropriate to your lifestyle and creative output. If you take photographs, use Instagram to share your stuff. If you like to network or keep up with world affairs, try Twitter. If you write, express yourself through a blogging platform like Medium or Wordpress.
Go paperless (but carry a notebook wherever you go).
So often our work spaces are cluttered by excess paper. For the past few years, I have used Evernote and Dropbox as a note-taking tools and digital storage spaces. Every week I review the paper that I have accumulated, and then scan the important stuff (I use a great app called ScannerPro) and upload it into Evernote. Wherever I go, I have a library of literature and an inventory of documentation, should I ever need it. Plus, with Evernote’s amazing ability to search documents (including PDFs), I now no longer waste time looking for information that I need.
Thank you for reading. The Coffeehouse Cleric is a Medium publication dedicated to asking the big questions of life. It features writing on three main areas: minimalism, spirituality, and learning. If you enjoyed this piece, please do share it with friends and family on social media.
