How to Be a Digital Minimalist Today: Rec. Reading v2
We recognize that habit-building and good mental health can’t be isolated to just one corner of the internet. Myrth is our favorite tool, but it’s not our only tool. In our regular Recommended Reading series, we’ll share links to articles, books, and other tools that we think you’ll find helpful, interesting, or fun.
Lately, we’ve been thinking a lot about minimalism and digital wellness. You might have noticed a bit of a trend in our blog posts. There are a lot of other people out in the world thinking about these same topics and proposing some interesting ideas, and we wanted to share a few of them with you today.
1. Marketers are Realizing Digital Wellness is Good for Business, Too
When the iPhone first entered the market in 2007, few of us realized what a ubiquitous thing it would become. It seemed like a neat gadget, but there weren’t that many things you could do with it yet, and its potential for virtually taking over our lives wasn’t all that clear. Now, the average American spends at least 5 hours a day on their smartphones, and we are positively bombarded with nonstop advertising. Smart businesses are beginning to realize that helping customers control that flow of information is good for everybody:
Marketers should lean into this growing health concern and help consumers feel like they are in control of their lives. Sophisticated preference centers allow consumers to select what kinds of messages they will receive and via which channels, and these preference centers can anchor brands’ customer-first mindset. Some people prefer text/SMS over email, while others want to get different kinds of messages in different channels (e.g. shipping notifications via text versus new offers via email). Relevancy means getting that granular.
Allowing customers to have some control over when, how, and via which channels they receive information builds trust. It also helps prevent decision fatigue so that when somebody is actually ready to engage with a brand, they have the energy to do so. It’s good for both consumers and businesses. Even iPhone has implemented methods to reduce your screentime.
2. A Helpful Podcast that Reads Blogs for You
Sometimes, people prefer to consume content by listening to it rather than reading it. Whether you have a long commute, dyslexia, vision limitations, or any number of other reasons that might prevent you from easily reading through a long list of blog posts, it’s sometimes helpful to have someone else do the reading out loud. We just discovered Optimal Living Daily, a podcast whose host reads blog posts (with permission from the author) each day. The topics range from minimalism to self-discipline to mindfulness, and it can be a great way to get more information without having more screen time. **Update Dec. 2020: Myrth’s blog 7 Types of Rest was featured on Optimal Living Daily on December 5, 2020.
3. Digital Minimalism While on Vacation
We hope you’re able to take advantage of the summer weather and get in a little rest and relaxation time. If you are, though, you might find yourself having trouble unplugging from your digital world. We like the tips in this article for unplugging from your tech when you really need to.
Almost all of us know by first-person experience, how draining it can be to be connected to technologies for a long period. We know we become less focused and present, due to a constant flow of interruptions. It’s also harder to engage in deep thinking and consequently deep work, paradoxically, the kind of work that is truly valuable in today’s economy. We’re also familiar with the type of background anxiety that seems to never abandon us, due to the hyperstimulation of our central nervous system coming from being constantly connected (ever heard of phantom notifications, when you think your phone has ringed or vibrated… but when you checked it, it actually didn’t?).
4. Digital Minimalism for Busy Moms
Ask the moms in your life how they’re doing, and you’ll probably hear similar things: “I have little or no time to myself.” “I am swamped in things to do.” “I can’t get a handle on things.” One mom of young kids realized that she was struggling without time to herself and that her phone use was getting in the way of that quality alone time she needed.
Instead of playing games, I started listening to music, reading an actual book, or just sitting, thinking and processing. Part of me wanted to play the games, but I realized very quickly that they were not actually a good use of my mental energy. … I realized that my alone time is precious, and it doesn’t need to be spent on an app. I need time with my thoughts — and to just be me.
That alone time is essential for processing emotions, coming up with ideas, and planning for the future. If screen time is getting in the way of productive alone time, then digital minimalism might be the solution.
We’ll be talking a lot more about digital minimalism in the future, but in the meantime, we’d love to hear about any resources you’ve used to guide yourself in living a more intentional, minimalist digital life. If you’ve got links you’d like to share, please drop a comment below!